APC governors not bothered about Ekweremadu, say “natural cause will take effect”

Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have expressed no worry over the emergence of Ike Ekweremadu of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, as the Deputy Senate President, saying that “natural cause will take its effect”.

The APC Governors, led by Imo State Gov. Rochas Okorocha, met behind closed doors Thursday night.

Despite being an opposition member, Mr. Ekweremadu emerged the deputy senate president after members of his PDP teamed with defiant APC members to elect Bukola Saraki the senate president, against the APC’s directive.

Mr. Saraki denies the emergence of a minority party member was in exchange for support from the still influential PDP.

Mr. Ekweremadu has been accused of falsifying the senate rules book, to facilitate the controversial polls. He faces a police probe.

However, the outcome of the election has continued to unsettle the APC.

On Tuesday, its Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, said the party would “approach the senate crisis differently”, insisting Mr. Ekweremadu’s being Deputy Senate President remained unacceptable to the party.

Addressing journalists after the governors’ forum meeting, Mr. Okorocha said, “In the process of this process, things will take its natural cause”, in response to questions on Mr. Ekweremadu.

The governor welcomed the resolution of the crisis in the House of Representatives which had also faced a leadership crisis.

“We are also very happy about the development in the National Assembly as peace is gradually returning to the national assembly,” said Mr. Okorocha. “We are very happy that what has taken place in the federal house will soon take place in the senate and we resolved to make our party bigger and bigger than what it is now. So, we welcome interested parties to join us in building the Nigeria of our dream.”

“Peace will return. We hope that very soon, we will see total peace (in the Senate) as we saw in the federal house.”

On the alleged marginalisation against the 2-member South-East APC caucus in the House, the Imo State Governor said “the issue will soon be resolved in the course of the peace process.”

“We deliberated on a lot of issues. One is that we have resolved to strengthen our party and prepare for the forthcoming elections, especially the ones of Kogi and Bayelsa States,” said Mr. Okorocha.