Ndume
•South-West Caucus spurns Saraki’s offer of Chief Whip
The Unity Forum in the Senate is insisting on Alhaji Ali Ndume stepping down as Senate Leader and Alhaji Bala Ibn Na’Allah as Deputy Senate Leader as a condition for working with Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Members of the forum want Dr. Ahmed Lawan as Senate Leader with Sen. George Akume as his deputy in line with the recommendations of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It was learnt that the new peace terms accounted for the refusal of the South-West Caucus to fill the slot of the Chief Whip of the Senate allotted to it.
But loyalists of Saraki yesterday said “the conditions are like turning back the hand of the clock.”
Some pro-Saraki Senators prefer juicy committees for those in Lawan’s camp.
Lawan’s supporters, according to investigation said that Saraki cannot be seeking reconciliation without making concessions to show respect for party supremacy.
It was gathered that the two sides had met with President Muhammadu Buhari on how to restore the lingering Cold War in the Senate.
While pro-Saraki Senators are pushing for an unconditional reconciliation, those in Lawan’s camp said the Senate President should defer to the party and the crisis will be over immediately he does so.
A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The loyalists of Saraki met with President Muhammadu Buhari for reconciliation without making any concrete offer to pacify the aggrieved.
“They only said if all the parties are reconciled, they know what to do to accommodate all. That is a flat and tricky reconciliation proposal.
“They were not forthcoming on the fate of Lawan and Akume who are central to the politics in the Senate.”
A respected Senator said: “The aggrieved Senators want Ndume and Na’Allah to step down for Lawan and Akume in line with the wishes of the party. They said the day Saraki defers to the party, the disagreement within the APC Caucus in the Senate will end.
“The Lawan group said it has nothing personal against Saraki but he should make concessions too in order to put the crisis behind the Senate. The loyalists of the President of the Senate want to eat their cake and have it.”
A third source said: “When the Abdulsalami Committee members met with Saraki, they expressed concern that the crisis in the Senate was heating up the polity.
“They also advised Saraki to accommodate all and ensure reconciliation to stabilize the Senate.”
As at press time, it was not immediately clear if Ndume’s recent shuttles to the South-West were connected with the demands of the Lawan group, the position of the South-West Caucus or the peace terms of Saraki.
“I know Ndume is unrelenting in his shuttles and talks with party leaders. He seems to be playing the role of a crisis manager now, the source added.
The letter, referenced APC/NHDQ/NAM/01/015/05, said: “Please find below for your necessary action names of principal officers approved by the party, after excessive consultations for the 8th Senate as follows: Sen. Ahmed Lawan (Majority Leader)–North-East; Prof. Sola Adeyeye (Chief Whip)–South-West; Sen. George Akume (Deputy Majority Leader) —North-Central; and Sen. Abu Ibrahim (Deputy Chief Whip) —North-West.”
But adopting Caucus Politics to sideline the Lawan group, Saraki’s power sharing formula led to the emergence of the following principal officers: Ali Ndume( Senate Leader); Bala Ibn Na’Allah( Deputy Senate Leader); Francis Ailimikhene (Deputy Chief Whip).
Although the office of the Chief Whip was ceded to the South-West, Senators from the geopolitical zone have spurned the offer from Saraki.
The Senators from the South-West insisted that Lawan and Akume must be accommodated before considering any offer from Saraki.
A Senator said: “Our colleagues from the South-West prefer not to fill the Chief Whip slot at all if Saraki does not make concessions.
“So far, they have spurned the office in spite of the fact that a high-ranking Senator, Prof. Sola Adeyeye, has been recommended for it.”
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