At issue is whether the Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Reps, Yakubu Dogara, should continue in office or not following the defection of over 50 federal lawmakers from the APC to the PDP.
The Senate president is one of the defectors.
Dogara is yet to defect but going by his pronouncements before the defections, the popular belief is that he is PDP bound.
To Senators elected on the platform of the APC, Saraki must step aside as he now belongs to a minority party in the senate.
APC members in the House of Reps are equally asking Dogara to be ready to quit if he defects.
They have the backing of the APC whose national Chairman Adams Oshiomhole said recently that the crown Saraki is wearing belongs to the APC which he must drop now that he is in the PDP.
The PDP is however not taking the plot to sack Saraki and Dogara lightly.
The Nation learnt that the PDP has mandated its Senators to stand by Saraki at all cost and resist the plot to sack him
Investigation revealed that APC Senators are determined to ensure that the party asserts its majority in the Senate and House of Representatives.
Findings confirmed that in one of their strategy meetings APC Senators considered many options and possible successors to Saraki.
A reliable member of the PSG said: “We are already weighing options on those who could succeed Saraki when we move to assert our right as members of the party in the majority in the Senate.
“If APC seeks replacement from the North-Central where Saraki comes from, our choice will be made known.
“But where the choice is ceded to the North-East, we have capable people from there to succeed him. We may also look elsewhere, we have our strategies.”
“In the next few weeks, events will unfold in the National Assembly but we will follow constitutional and legal processes.”
According to a top source, some APC Senators had been meeting and reaching out to like minds among PDP Senators on how to ease out Saraki.
The source said: “The APC Senators have drawn the battle line and they want to use constitutional means to ask Saraki to step aside.
“If you look at Section 50 (2) (a) of the 1999 Constitution, it is not by the votes of two-thirds of Senators alone that Saraki or his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu can be removed.
“Section 50 (2) (a) says “if he (Saraki or his deputy) ceases to be a member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives, as the case may be, otherwise than by reason of a dissolution of the Senate or the House of Representatives.
“But pro-Saraki senators have been talking of two-thirds alone without paying attention to Section 50 (2) (a).
“Since there are three conditions for the removal of either the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, any of the conditions can be applicable.
“Some APC Senators are already reaching out to their PDP colleagues on why Saraki should step down as Senate President because of his defection.”
PDP is battle ready and is confident that Saraki and Dogara will survive APC plot.
Boroffice to Saraki: Resign honourably
The Senator representing Ondo North, Professor Ajayi Boroffice yesterday added his voice to those demanding Saraki’s resignation or be booted out.
Boroffice said Saraki should do the needful since the APC has majority in the senate.
The chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology described Saraki’s tenure as turbulent and crisis-ridden over the last three years.
Boroffice said that the prevailing frosty relationship between the executive and the legislature should not have arisen if not for Saraki’s ulterior motives.
He spoke with reporters in Akungba, Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State shortly after laying the foundation of model basic science laboratories in the university town.
The Senator maintained that if Saraki declined to relinquish his position honourably, APC Senators would do the needful.
He, however, said that Saraki’s defection and others would not have any impact on Buhari’s chances in next year’s elections.
The lawmaker said the defectors left APC because they were not comfortable with the anti-graft crusade of the Buhari administration.
He extolled President Buhari for his courage to tackle the menace in spite of loud criticisms.
Saraki not resigning
Two of the senators who defected from the APC to the PDP last week, yesterday told their former party that Saraki will not resign.
Isa Hama Misau and Rafiu Ibrahim who represent Bauchi Central and Kwara South respectively dared APC senators who are calling for Saraki’s resignation to do their worst.
The Senator maintained that if Saraki declined to relinquish his position honourably, APC Senators would do the needful.
He, however, said that Saraki’s defection and others would not have any impact on Buhari’s chances in next year’s elections.
The lawmaker said the defectors left APC because they were not comfortable with the anti-graft crusade of the Buhari administration.
He extolled President Buhari for his courage to tackle the menace in spite of loud criticisms.
Saraki not resigning
Two of the senators who defected from the APC to the PDP last week, yesterday told their former party that Saraki will not resign.
Isa Hama Misau and Rafiu Ibrahim who represent Bauchi Central and Kwara South respectively dared APC senators who are calling for Saraki’s resignation to do their worst.
