Saraki in dilemma over retaining office after defection to PDP

Senate President Bukola Saraki and his supporters in the Senate are in dilemma over losing his status as sebate chairman in case he eventually jumps ship.

The APC he plans to leave still has the majority in both the upper and lower chambers of the National Assembly.

And the Parliamentary Support Group, an anti-Saraki clique in the Senate, has warned him to get ready to quit the Senate presidency as soon as he defects to the PDP.

But the Saraki camp has insisted it takes a simple majority, parties immaterial, to elect the presiding officers, and that it requires two-thirds of members to sack the leadership.

“We all know the process of electing and removing the Senate President. It is not that a party must determine who takes charge; every member of the Senate will have a vote in the election or removal of the Senate President,” said Yusuph Olaniyonu, media aide to Saraki.

According to him, the constitution is clear on how the collection of those votes is done and what number is needed to elect or remove the Senate President.

“So, anybody who says anything outside those provisions is just deceiving themselves. The person is speaking in a vacuum. We are not bothered here,” he said.

“The Senate President is still attending to his official duties from home despite the recess. Everything is normal here. They are the ones who have reasons to be bothered.

“I say this without intending to insult any senator. I try not to respond to any senator but allow the senators to engage themselves.”

Senator Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara-South), one of those who left the APC for the PDP, said the party with the majority would be established when the lawmakers resume from their current two-month recess.

“I am not going to take issues with them on the matter of which party has the majority. When we resume, we will all see. Officially, we will release our list before we resume,” said Ibrahim.

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