Senate Presidency: Coast gets clearer for Saraki

*70 Senators-elect, Buhari’s supporters back bid Pro-Saraki’s senators to arrive Abuja today *Tinubu relocates to FCT, lobbies Saraki to step down *231 Reps-elect back Saraki’s candidate, Dogara

Strong indications emerged last night that the ambition of Dr. Bukola Saraki to lead the 8th Senate has received a major boost with the reported endorsement of no fewer than 70 senators-elect across the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of his candidature.

Similarly, a group, Buhari Support Group, yesterday declared its support for Saraki, who is also the former governor of Kwara State. With these, Saraki, who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, is set to coast home victory when the 8th National Assembly is convened on June 9. National Pilot had exclusively reported that Saraki had decided to stay put in Abuja until the convocation of the 8th Senate. It would be recalled that after the Like-mind senators led by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) had endorsed Saraki’s candidature, claiming to have backing of 35 APC senators-elect with their appended signatures. While Saraki, who hails from the North- Central, he is said to be reportedly at home in the North-East, North-West, South-South and South-East regions of the country, a situation that had reportedly unsettled the Lawan’s camp. An impeccable source within Saraki’s camp, who is also a member-elect, House of Representatives, who spoke with this medium from Abuja last night, said pro-Saraki senator would start arriving Abuja today (Monday) to mobilise support for his bid. ‘’The Pro- Saraki senators, who are determined to ensure his victory are expected to start arriving Abuja today”, the source said. The source said: ‘’As at the last count, we have nothing less than 70 senators-elect across the APC and the PDP, that are in Senator Bukola Saraki’s camp and they have shown and proved by their action that with us. ‘’As a matter of fact, some of them will arrive Abuja tomorrow (today) in preparation for the convocation of the 8th National Assembly on June 9 and to re-affirm their belief and confidence in Senator Saraki’s capacity to lead then. “The position in the Senate is that they don’t want anybody that would be under the influence of anybody like Senator Mark and ex-President Jonathan scenario but an independent minded senate president just like Aminu Tambuwwal in the House of Representatives”, the source said. Another source, however, told this medium that senators on Saraki’s side had risen to 90. Similarly, members of the Buhari Support Group, yesterday drummed support for the Saraki’s candidacy for the Senate President. At a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, the group insisted that the north-central zone needed to be compensated for the role it played during the general elections. They also maintained that their candidate had the antecedent that the hallow chamber could entrust its leadership with. However, following the recent developments purportedly in Saraki’s favour, the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is believed to be a major force against his emergence, had reportedly relocated to Abuja to mobilise every machinery at his disposal to ensure the success of his perceived candidate, Senator Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North).

This medium reliably gathered that Tinubu had reportedly started meeting some influential figures especially from the North East and North West where Saraki had reportedly made a far-reaching inroad and gained wide acceptance among influential camps for him to step down. In one of such meetings with the former Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko the former reportedly turned him down. Sources said the APC national leader had received the same responses from other leaders he had allegedly approached regarding the issue. One of the sources claimed that the Ahmad Lawan’s camp is afraid of the open voting in the Senate which may likely favour Saraki ‘because of his popularity and wide acceptance among the senators-elect. “The Tinubu group is afraid of defeat in open voting and he (Tinubu) has been moving all over the place to mount pressure on Saraki to step down but such moves have failed. “He had approached former Governor Wamakko, who has turned him down, the same response he has been getting from other leaders he has approached’’, the source said. Also, the return of the impeached Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, to the country last week, who is believed to be a close ally of the state Governor-elect, Jibrila Bindo and a close pal of Saraki, is expected to swell support for the latter. Both Nyako, Bindow, Senator Binta, Danjuma Goje, among other northern senators are reportedly backing Saraki for the seat Meanwhile, the same scenario is reputedly playing out regarding the Speakership of the House of Representatives as the contending forces have also shifted their battle to the lower chambers. The Tinubu camp that had long been on Femi Gbajabiamila speakership project has had a serious challenge from Yakubu Dogara, who is believed to be Saraki’s card in the lower chambers. According to sources, “As at the last count, a minimum of 213 House of Representatives members-elect have cued behind his candidature. “The lawmakers don’t also want imposition in the House but an independent leadership who will not be a stooge to the whims and caprices of somebody else.