By Nuel Suji, Abuja.
Senators of Like Minds, the group rooting for the emergency of Senator Bukola Saraki on Friday revealed how Senator Ahmad Lawan’s group evaded primary elections to determine the Senate President of the 8th senate, insisting that it has 34 out of 59 APC senators-elect in its fold.
The group in statement signed by Senator-elect Dino Melaye and Senator Sani Yerima challenged Lawan’s group to make public the names and signatories of its own 40 members as claimed, the same way its group have done on May 24 2015 when Senator Bukola Saraki was endorsed as the next senate president by the group.
“APC as the ruling political party has called for due internal democracy through primary elections, on the same two occasions, they have evaded these primary elections to determine the Senate President of the 8th senate.”
The group warned the leadership of All Progressive Congress(APC) that imposition of Senator Ahmed Lawan as Senate President will only bring the ‘Banana Peel’ back to the Senate.
The statement reads, “In view of the controversy on the numbers of the senators supporting Senator Bukola Saraki and Ahmed Lawan for the senate presidency of the 8th senate, we challenge them in the same manner to publicly exhibit the names and signatories they claim that consist of their supports in the senate.
“As democracy continues to be game of numbers, Senator Bukola Saraki is the President of the 8th Senate. On two occasions, APC as the ruling political party has called for due internal democracy through primary elections, on the same two occasions, they have evaded these primary elections to determine the Senate President of the 8th senate.
“Their latest presentation to our National Chairman, that ranking should be a criteria for the selection of the next Senate President is fool hardy to suggest because if Ahmed Lawan is the most ranking senator where then was he when George Akume was selected the minority leader of the senate..
“If ranking is the way to go, it should be across party line as Senator David Mark is the most ranking senator so far among the senators of the 8th senate. The inconsistency that they have displayed, only suggest to the fact that they do not have the numbers as they claim.
“Recall also that Senator Ken Nnamani became the senate president, despite the fact that he was not a ranking senator. Ditto, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and others. George Akume when he contested David Mark (Sixth Senate) in 2007 was not a ranking senator when he became the senate minority leader.
“Senators must be allowed to choose their own leaders as impositions will only bring the ‘Banana Peel’ back to the Senate. We should adhere to the rules of the senate in choosing the next senate president.
“In so doing, experience, acceptability and merit should be of prime importance. Imposition, harassment, intimidation and name-dropping as well as threat will not produce the senate president of the 8th senate.”
