Former Kwara State governor Senator Saraki was elected and sworn-in as senate president in Tuesday in defiance of the party. His election was highly controversial as he was elected unopposed by 57 of 108 senators present, with 51 senators, including his main rival Senator Ahmed Lawan, absent.
Other APC senators were at the nearby International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja for a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve the issue of National Assembly leadership. Playing a fast one, Senator Saraki and his supporters reached a deal with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) under which the opposition's Senator Ike Ekweremadu was elected his deputy with the former senate president Senator David Mark elected majority leader.
This has not gone down well with the APC senators, with members of the Barnabas Gemade-led Senate Unity Forum already threatening to take a legal action against the emergence of Senator Saraki on Tuesday as the President of the Senate. They added that the election of Senator Saraki did not follow due constitutional procedure.
Senator Gemade, who spoke for the forum, said that 51 senators were denied the right to take part in the election of Senator Saraki. He said the group had resolved to challenge the illegality in court since it takes two-third of members to impeach the senate president.
He added: “Our right to participate in the election of the senate president is a constitutional right which cannot be taken by any person or group of persons. The clerk of the National Assembly Salisu Maikasuwa, knowing full well that the quorum for election of the senate president was not met, went ahead to conduct an election that shut the door against about 51 other senators.
"This will remain unacceptable until what would meet democratic parameters is done and the insinuations in some quarters that we boycotted the election are totally unfounded. As loyal party members, we would take all necessary political and legal means to strengthen our democracy and democratic process in line with the change that we promised our teeming supporters during our electioneering.”
According to Senator Gemade, the election of Senator Saraki was null and void because a quorum was not formed , which should be two-third of the senators present. He added that 53 senators were out and the remaining 56 were not enough to elect the senate president.
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One APC leader added that Senator Saraki and Hon Dogara risked suspension or outright expulsion for disregarding the party directive not to stand for the elections. He said the party was considering applying Article 9.1, Sub-Section 2 of its constitution, against all its members involved in the exercise.
This sub-section reads: "Members of the party shall be obliged to affirm the party’s aims and objectives and conduct themselves in a manner that shall not bring the party to public odium and disrepute. Members of the party shall also observe the rules and regulations embedded in this.”
A breach of this sub-section or other provision could lead to punishments ranging from reprimand, censure, fine, debarment from holding party office, suspension or expulsion. According to the party official, it would not be out of place for the APC to set up a disciplinary committee to try Senator Saraki, Hon Dogara and others for their actions.
“There is no organisation which can survive without discipline and we cannot tolerate a situation where party members defy the party without consequences. This assault on the party’s cohesion has to be met with dire consequences if not, it will mark the beginning of a revolt whose end no one can predict.
“What is even more painful about the whole National Assembly thing is the fact that these individuals went as far as sleeping with the enemy in their desperation for power. The party must remain supreme because if not, anarchy will become the norm,” the APC leader added.
Hon Dogara representing the Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa Constituency in Bauchi State, will be sanctioned for standing against the APC's official candidate Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, representing Surulele I Constituency in Lagos State. In the election for House of Representatives speaker, Hon Dogara, polled 182 votes to Hon Gbajabiamila's 174 votes.
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