President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly met with the Senate Unity Forum led by Senator Ahmad Lawan on Friday, June 26.
The All Progressives Congress, had before the National Assembly leadership election, endorsed Lawan as its candidate for the senate presidency, but Senator Bukola Saraki went against the party to emerge as the senate president.
Last week, the party had also written a letter to the Senate President, which contained the names of its candidates for the senate principal offices.
In the letter, the party yet again named Lawan as its choice for the majority leader; Prof. Sola Adeyeye as the chief whip; George Akume as deputy majority leader; and Abu Ibrahim as deputy chief whip.
But Saraki would once again defy the party by failing to read the letter, but would however, read the nominations by the APC zonal caucuses for the positions.
The North-East caucus of the party nominated Senator Ali Ndume as the Majority Leader; while the North-West put forward, Bala Na’Allah as the deputy majority leader. The South-South caucus adopted Francis Alimikhena as the deputy chief.
Hence the need for the sit-down with President Buhari, who was said to have insisted on party supremacy in the ongoing disagreements. He also supported all the decisions taken by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress on the National Assembly crisis.
A senator, who was among the team that met with Buhari, revealed to Punch that the president assured them that he would always align with the party’s position on the issue of the National Assembly election.
The senator was quoted to have said: “Yes, we met with the president and it was a fruitful one, going forward. We had the assurances of Mr. President that he is fully behind the position of the APC leadership on the National Assembly election.
“We are currently on recess but I am sure that when we resume, Nigerians will begin to see the effect of the meeting. I won’t say more than that. ”
