Senators-elect working for the election of Senator
Bukola Saraki yesterday vowed to resist any form of imposition, intimidation
and harassment from external bodies in a bid to elect the President of the
Senate for the 8th assembly.
The Like Minds group which is supporting Senator
Saraki in a statement in Abuja warned the party’s leadership to beware of the
‘banana peels’ that was witnessed in the fifth senate.
Dino Melaye
The statement which was signed by Dino Melaye,
spokesperson of the group and the former governor of Zamfara State, Senator
Ahmed Sani Yerima and made available to Saturday Vanguard also challenged the
Senate Unity Forum which is backing Senator Ahmed Lawan to produce the list of
Senators supporting their camp.
The Like Minds group also said that the argument that
only the most ranking Senator should contest for the Senate presidency is
laughable wandering when such an became fashionable.
The statement read in parts, “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
(Unity Forum) in the same manner to publicly exhibit the names and signatories
they claim that consist of their supports in the senate.
“We equally urge them to consolidate it further by
submitting the names of the senators that have passed a resolution endorsing
Ahmed Lawan as the next senate president as we, the senators of The Like Minds
did when we submitted the names and signatures of the 34 senators endorsing
Senator Saraki on May 24 2015 as the next senate president.
“Recall that on Tuesday this week, they promised to
release to the public and indeed the Press Corp of the National Assembly the
names and signatures of 40 senators purportedly supporting Ahmed Lawan and
George Akume, but as at today, the number has changed to 35 and yet they cannot
explain to the public the reason for the delay and change of numbers from 40 to
35.
“We challenge them to publicly do same by publishing
the list and forward same to the National chairman of our great party, Chief
John Odigie Oyegun. 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.”
On the ranking issue, The Like Minds group said, “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
inconsistence 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.
“We preach change, we must act change. Our resolve is
total and our commitment is unshaken.”
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