Senate President Bukola Saraki has written to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to say his “hands were tied” regarding the selection of principal officers of the senate.
On June 23, John Oyegun, national chairman of APC, had written to Saraki, stating the party’s choice of principal officers of the senate.
The APC had nominated Ahmad Lawan as senate majority leader, George Akume as deputy majority leader, Olusola Adeyeye as chief whip, and Abu Ibrahim deputy chief whip.
But on Thursday, Saraki announced Ali Ndume as majority leader, Bala Na’Allah as deputy majority leader and Francis Alimikhena as deputy chief whip after the various APC senate caucuses nominated them.
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In his letter dated June 25, the senate president explained that the APC senate caucuses had already taken a decision on the matter before he received the letter from the party.
“The said letter (Oyegun’s letter) was received after various APC zonal caucuses had taken their decisions to candidates as principal officers of the senate in line with parliamentary convention and the extant provisions of the senate standing orders 2015 as amended,” Saraki’s letter read.
“Furthermore whilst one is strongly persuaded to toe party line and act in accordance with the suggested party position, regrettably clear provisions of our extant rules and standard parliamentary convention have not given me that leeway to act otherwise.
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“Therefore, my hands are tied in the circumstances and I seek your understanding in this regard.”
However, he added that without equivocation he remained “loyal to our great party and its leadership and also fully committed to the change agenda of the Mr President of the federal republic of Nigeria”.
2 comments
Usuallykidnappers tie-up their victims hands and legs. Saraki has obviously been “kidnapped” by selfish interets! It is either ransom is paid for his release or “they kill him”.
I ll ‘ rather says saraki letter served as an insult to party leadership and as a rejoinder to Mr oyegun. Therefore, APC most takes plemenarly action for any member who intentionally ignore party order.