APC in dilemma over emergence of Ndume, others, plans emergency meeting

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to Thursday’s ratification of principal officers for the Nigerian Senate.

The party, which appears not to understand games its own members were playing, yesterday said it would meet soon to give an official position on the development.

The House of Representatives which had also planned to ratify its officers could not do so as crisis broke out

Senate ratified the candidates put forward by the All progressives Congress, APC, North-West and North-East zonal caucuses for the positions of Senate Majority Leader and Deputy Majority Leader.While Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume from Borno State got approved for the Majority Leader, Senator Bala Na’Allah from Kebbi central was ratified as Deputy Majority leader.

In the Green chamber, Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, was forced to announce a long adjournment of plenary till the July 21, 2015, after members physically assaulted each other.


Before announcing the adjournment, the Speaker reminded the members that they belonged to a privileged class amongst Nigerians and should as such conduct themselves in a peaceful manner and face the task of providing qualitative leadership to Nigerians.

But the APC had sent letters to both chambers conveying names of its candidates for the principal offices of both chambers.

The offices are that of the Senate Leader, Deputy Senate Leader, House Leader, Deputy House Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip among others.

But a faction of the lawmakers chose those they wanted to lead them, an act the APC considers another coup.

In a statement issued by the party’s National Secretary, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, APC said the party stood by the lists sent to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

”The National Caucus, Board of Trustees and National Executive Council of the party will meet within the next few days to discuss the evolving developments in the National Assembly,” he said.

Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara had emerged Senate President and Speaker, House of Representatives respectively.

This was against the intention of the APC to have Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila occupy the seats.