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APC Seek Postponement Of National Assembly Leadership Polls

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Faced with a looming crisis in the selection of its favoured candidates for leadership posts at the Senate and House of Representatives, officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are weighing measures to force the incoming class of National Assembly members to postpone their convening beyond Wednesday, June 10, 2015.

A senior party source said the postponement “is to enable President Muhammadu Buhari (to) rein in rebellious lawmakers within the ranks of our party.”

Buhari is expected back in Abuja on Thursday night after attending the the G7 meeting in Germany.

Some APC lawmakers led by for former Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State have reportedly reached an alliance with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers overnight to present a PDP candidate as President of the Senate, it was learnt.

Immediate past Senate President, David Mark, was named as the likely beneficiary of Mr. Saraki’s revolt.

Former Governor Saraki was reportedly angry that he was schemed out of the APC’s nomination for the Senate Presidency.

Last Saturday, the party by-passed the former governor amid concerns that he could not be totally relied upon to lead an effective and co-operative Senate that would give President Buhari reliable legislative backing.

Instead, the APC adopted Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan from Yobe State as its candidate for the Senate Presidency.

Agency reports say President Buhari had expressed serious concerns to some associates that a Nigerian Senate led by Saraki would not lend him the necessary legislative backing to wage a major war against corruption.

It was alleged that Saraki carries a lot of corruption baggage, dating back to his days as an executive of the defunct Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria, and continuing with his tenure as Kwara State governor.

The reports also said another group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives were also upset with the APC’s choice of Lagos legislator, Femi Gbajabiamila, as the party’s sole candidate for Speaker.

Yakubu Dogara, an aspirant for the speakership who hails from Bauchi State, leads the disaffected legislators opposed to Gbajabiamila.

An APC source said some party leaders consider Saraki as the wrecking ball who must be subdued to ensure that the party does not lose the leadership of the Senate.

It was learnt that former Senate President David Mark has been mobilising disgruntled APC senators to back him for a third term in the premier post at the Senate.

Another source disclosed that several PDP senators were demanding outrageous sums of money from APC leaders in exchange for casting their votes for candidates favoured by the party.

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