Why APC senators refused to remove Saraki as senate president

The senator representing Kaduna Central who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Shehu Sani, has revealed why his colleagues in the ruling APC backed out of a plot to remove the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Mr Sani, who is now a stalwart of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) after he lost out in getting the senatorial ticket of the APC, said the senators were unable to remove Mr Saraki because it was “constitutionally impossible”.

The vocal lawmaker who spoke with reporters in Abuja on Sunday also said the ruling party did not have the number of lawmakers required (two-third majority) to carry out its plan.

Following the defection of the senate president from the ruling party to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the APC leadership and some of its senators called for his resignation or forceful removal.

Mr Saraki’s defection to the opposition was to seek the presidential ticket of the party which he eventually lost.

The APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, was particularly vociferous in his threat to ensure Mr Saraki was removed if he did not resign.

Mr Saraki, however, vowed to remain in office saying he enjoys the support of majority of the senators.

The senators of the APC eventually dropped plans to remove Mr Saraki when the house finally resumed from a 10-week recess as nothing was said or done about it.

Mr Sani explained why the plan failed.

“It is technically impossible to remove Saraki because the APC does not have two thirds majority in the National Assembly. Secondly, Saraki has been able to carry everybody along and provide a leadership to the extent that he is able to accommodate those who are critical of him.”

“I can tell that APC backed out from plot to remove Saraki because they don’t have the number to do that and it is impossible to do that through constitutional means,” he said.

Mr Sani, who is now seeking re-election on the platform of PRP, said the opposition party, PDP, “where Mr Saraki now belongs to is more united than the ruling APC senators in the National Assembly.”

“The opposition are more united and more formidable in their resolve to keep the senate president than the ruling party in their plot to remove the senate president.

“So, I can tell you that removing Saraki through constitutional means is very much impossible because the APC is not united to do that. The APC is not having the number to do that and the APC does not have the kind of support it needed to be able to carry out the plot.”