Saraki: Will his meeting with officers hold?
BY TAIWO FAROTIMI
The occupation of the National Assembly complex, Abuja by personnel of the Directorate of State Security, DSS may introduce another episode to the drama between the federal lawmakers and the executive arm of government.
To start with, it has heightened speculations of moves to impeach Bukola Saraki, Senate president and his deputy, Ike Ekeremadu. There are claims that members of the House of Representatives and National Assembly staff are being turned back. Some 30 senators were said to have had a meeting overnight with the head of a security arm of government where it is said that plans were hatched to effect the change of leadership in the senate today, Tuesday. A source said the Saraki camp has become unsettled with the development, so it is not clear yet whether the planned meeting with National Assembly officers will hold. Some of the principal officers expected at the meeting are sympathetic to the executive. So there has been a split from time. The fear then is that, if the Senate leader can lead others to move against Saraki and the security stands with them, the impeachment plan may sail through.
If successful, the immediate beneficiary of the plot may be Ahmed Lawan, the Senate leader who was initially the official candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC for the job. It is also being speculated that Hope Uzodinma is being tipped for deputy senate president. The former was made senate leader after Senator Ali Ndume was removed by his colleagues. Lawan was at the Aso Villa on Monday along with some other senators to meet with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
At the end of the meeting, Lawan re-stated the urgent need for the Senate to reconvene ahead of the September end of recess in order to deliberate on certain germane issues. The issues include the executive request for loan to finance budget and approval of federal appointment. He said any attempt to delay the loan approval further will amount to a shut down of government.
Ita Enang, presidential liaison officer with the National Assembly made a further appeal for the Senate to reconvene for the issues to be tackled.
In an apparent response to that, Saraki had called a meeting of the principal officers of the National Assembly for Tuesday to discuss the possible reconvening of the National Assembly on the issues. It was also speculated that the issue of impeachment of the Senate president and his deputy was expected to feature in the meeting.
The blockade by security operatives may upstage the meeting of principal officers, if truly it was meant to provide cover for those who allegedly plan to impeach Saraki and Ekeremadu.
Some senators have echoed the call by Adams Oshiomhole , national chairman of the APC that Saraki resigns as Senate president after decamping from the ruling party.
Senator Ben Murray-Bruce tweeted about the development at the Assembly complex, stating that “Senator (Godswill) Akpabio and the gang are orchestrating to break the laws of Nigeria, with the backing of the security forces.” Akpabio, senate minority leader is said to be planning to defect from the PDP to APC on Thursday. He met with Bola Tinubu, leader of APC after an earlier meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in London.
