APC desperate to keep Saraki, others ahead of 2019

 President Muhammadu Buhari and some leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are said to be desperate in keeping Senate President Bukola Saraki and other members of the new Peoples’ Democratic Party (nPDP) caucus in the APC from defecting to the PDP, National Daily has gathered.

There has been growing concerns that Saraki, speaker of the House of Reps, Yakubu Dogara and several other key members of the nPDP may eventually pull out of the APC ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Some of the major complaints on nPDP are grudges on the conduct of state congresses, lack of significant patronage and appointments to executive positions, harassment and intimidation.

To forestall this, President Muhammadu Buhari had met with Saraki, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and some APC governors at the Presidential villa last Thursday to find solution to the impasse.

A source who was privy to the meeting told National Daily that Saraki was quite frank with the president in expressing his disappointments at the way he was being treated.

He allegedly said he felt humiliated by the party he co-founded and the government he jointly put in place with others. He was reportedly solemn in expressing his disappointment to the president and some APC governors.

The source who spoke in confidence said:  “At least, for the first time, there was a frank session between the president and Saraki. He expressed disappointment with his humiliation by the government he fought hard to put in place. “

Some of the resolutions, National Daily gathered was to give Saraki an automatic return as the president of the Senate in 2019 and also revisiting all issues raised by nPDP caucus which formed the basis of talks in the past few months .

Meanwhile the source revealed that Saraki did not give any commitment at the meeting, instead, he asked for the resolutions to be put into writing and fully documented for posterity.

“The final stage of talks with Saraki will still involve some of our leaders, like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who is coordinating the reconciliation in the party. In fact, Tinubu has been briefed on the outcome of the meeting at the Villa and why he has to play a key role too, “the source disclosed.