Shehu Sani, Tejuosho, other disgruntled senators meet Buhari, sing new song

The APC senators who met with President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday night have reassured him the party is not bleeding as many will like to believe after the mass defection of 14 APC senators to the PDP and ADC yesterday.

During the meeting that started about 9 pm inside the conference room in the office of the first lady in the Villa, the 39 lawmakers assured Buhari the APC still has clear majority in both chambers of the National Assembly.

According to Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan who address journalists after the meeting, they told Buhari that some of their colleagues left the ruling party to join various political parties such as PDP, ADC and APGA.

“We informed Mr President of how we stand in the Senate. As at today, the Senate APC Caucus is 53 in number followed by the other minority parties,” said Lawan.

Mr Lawan said they assured Mr Buhari that the APC will reclaim the two vacant seats during the bye-election fixed for August 11.

He revealed that less than 24 hours into the defection, the APC caucus had some discussions with some of those who defected, and they have shown their willingness and interest and readiness to retrace their steps.

One of the defecting senators, Lanre Tejuoso from Ogun State, was among those who met the president Wednesday night.

Mr Lawan said the remaining senators are working with the leadership of APC to ensure that those who defected return to the party.

He noted that others from the opposition PDP have also indicated their interest to move to the ruling party.

“I want to say that what has happened in the National Assembly yesterday, particularly in the Senate was supposed to be a disagreement in the family, but I think there was a misjudgment,” said Lawan.

When asked about Buhari’s reaction, Lawan said, “What do you expect when children come to their father and their leader? He was happy to receive us, extremely delighted and of course he has shown his willingness to continue to support the legislature in the implementation of our programmes as a government, as a party.

“He believes in the separation of powers, like we all do. But we must have a relationship that will be characterised by interdependence rather than emphasis on independence; by partnership, cooperation, consultation and coordination. And we will give him everything that he requires to ensure that he succeeds,” he said.

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Also Kaduna Central Shehu Sani, one of the aggrieved senators yet to defect, said he attended the meeting in his capacity as a member of the APC caucus in the Senate.

“My presence here does not mean that my issues have been solved 100 per cent. But I am of the belief that we have a leader in the party who is doing everything possible to see that the problems that we have are solved,” he said.

He said he revolt as a matter of necessicity.
“In fact, APC is a reflection of a revolt, it revolted against a system of iniquity, injustice, and today it is in power.

“So, I am here because I believe in the leadership of the party, I believe also in the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and I am also of the believe that there is no issue that we cannot solve as human beings, as men of conscience and conviction,” he said.

Mr Sani said the discussion with the president was “reassuring and in every possible way; soothing and comforting that a process has started to heal the wounds and also address issues that led us to where we are today.”