APC Makes U-turn, Accepts Saraki, Dogara

The All Progressive Congress (APC) may have resolved to accept its destiny without grudges on the outcome of the National Assembly leadership election, as the party has said that there was nothing more to do about the emergence of Bukola Saraki as Senate President and Yakubu Dogara as Speaker, House of Representatives than to live with it.

National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun hinted of the party’s likely change of mind after the party’s transition committee submitted its report to President Muhammadu Buhari at Defence House yesterday.

After the National Assembly election on Tuesday, the APC leadership had in a statement, announced that it rejected the outcome of the election in its entirety, saying it did not reflect the wish of the party.

The party’s spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed noted in the statement that the party leadership will meet to decide on the next line of action to take, including imposing sanctions on erring members as well as seeking redress.

But speaking to journalists after the committee’s meeting with Buhari, Oyegun noted that since Saraki and Dogara had been duly elected by their collegues, the party has no choice than to live such a reality.

When asked by journalists whether or not the APC will eventually accept Saraki as the Senate president, Oyegun said, “Of course he (Saraki) has been duly elected by his colleagues. We have a reality and we must live with it”.

On whether what was happening in his party was the end of the party as insinuated in some quarters, the party chairman said, “We have faced greater challenges before and this too shall pass away. “It is not the first or second time we have passed through and we came out strong. This may not even be the last time, we come out every time stronger and more determined”.

On the party’s next line of action, he said, “There is no next step. What has happened is within the APC family and we are sorting it out within the family. People say they are going to court which is their right, but as a party we are looking at everything and we are coming out strong”.

On Saraki’s aborted visit to the APC secretariat on Thursday, he said, “Nothing went wrong. There were a lot of consultations and you can’t be in two places at the same time and so it was not comfortable for us, but we have been talking . We don’t want to make a song and dance of it, everything being put in proper perspective”.