Buhari absent at meeting with APC lawmakers

President Muhammadu Buhari was absent at the emergency meeting of All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers that he convened on Tuesday.

The meeting was convened to address the move of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to endorse Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, for senate president and speaker, respectively, against Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila, the official candidates of APC.

“The President and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari will address all Senators and House of Representatives elect of the All Progressives Congress at 9 am this morning Tuesday the 9th of June at the International Conference Centre Abuja. All concerned must endeavour to attend this meeting,” Lai Mohammed, national publicity secretary of APC, had said in a statement released very early on Tuesday morning.

But two hours after the period the meeting was supposed to commence, Buhari did not turn up.

And there was confusion at the International Conference Centre (ICC), venue of the meeting, when reports filtered in that Bukola Saraki had been elected as the senate president.

Fifty-seven senators had elected him unopposed after he was nominated by Ahmed Yerima, former governor of Zamfara state, and seconded by Dino Melaye of Kogi west senatorial district.

Lawmakers of the house of representatives hurriedly departed for the green chamber to apparently avoid the same strategy to be used against them.

Bola Tinubu, national leader of the party, some governors, APC chieftains and lawmakers-elect (pictured) were at the conference centre.

As at the time of filing this report, APC had not reacted to the development at the senate and election for key positions in the lower chamber of the national assembly is underway. But a presidency source told TheCable that Buhari’s position on the senate’s election would be made public later in the day.