A plot by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to influence the emergence of a new Senate leadership, when the 9th Senate is inaugurated in June has unsettled the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
New Telegraph learnt that the plan, being championed by the outgoing Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who is said to be working on a fall-back position, having lost his reelection bid for the Kwara Central senatorial seat, is aimed at installing a former governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje as president of the 9th Senate.
Goje, presently represents Gombe Central on the platform of the APC and was re-elected on the party’s platform during the February 23 National Assembly elections. He hails from the North-East, but the party’s leadership is yet to decide on which zone will produce the president of the 9th Senate.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling party, which is said to have been unsettled by the plot, is to meet today to decide not only the Senate leadership, but on other positions in both houses of the National Assembly.
Besides the APC leadership, the plot is also said to have unsettled members of the APC caucus in the Senate as well as incoming senators. However, the various organs of the party are said to have been activated to counter the Saraki group.
An APC Senator-elect from the South-West, who confirmed the plot, said: “Yes, they want to use Goje to repeat the APC/PDP experience of 2015.” Also being mobilized are state governors and leading party stalwarts to ensure that the leaderships of both chambers comprise identified loyalists.
A source, who spoke with a New Telegraph correspondent on the issue, said Saraki had planned to take a shot at the Senate plum position, but unfortunately, he was defeated at the poll by APC candidate, Dr. Oloriegbe Ibrahim. Against this backdrop, the Senate President is said to be relying on some influential members of the Red Chamber, comprising principally PDP senators and some members of the APC caucus to cause an upset like he did in 2015, during the inauguration of the 8th Senate.
He is said to be working on the 2015 template through which he emerged as Senate President with the candidate of the opposition PDP caucus, Ike Ekweremadu, as Senate Deputy President. Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara had then emerged as Senate President and Speaker, House of Representatives, respectively, against the choice of their party (APC) through an alleged power deal with the leadership of the PDP.
The Saraki group met last week at his Maitama residence, where 35 PDP Senator select resolved to influence the emergence of a new Senate leadership.