A federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central), has advised the
federal government on how defectors from the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC) should be treated.
The senator took to his
Facebook page in the early hours of Wednesday to stress the need for
both the ruling party and the opposition party to maintain a harmonious
relationship.
The senator wrote as follows:
“In view of
the current reality, It’s possible to have a harmonious working
relationship between the parliament led by the opposition, and the
presidency led by the ruling party, in the remaining lifespan of this
political dispensation, if the following rules are kept by both sides.
1. Both sides must put the interest of the country first.
2.
The Executive should respect the decision of those who chose to defect,
maintain a cordial relationship with them and never attempt to
persecute any of them for their individual political decisions.
3.
The Parliament led by the opposition must not be a stumbling block for
Government policies and programmes and the person of the president and
his office must be accorded the highest respect it deserves.
4. All Inflammatory statements and plots from both sides must cease.
5.
Both sides should be committed to working towards addressing the
nation’s chronic security challenges and the success of the upcoming
national elections.”
Mr Sani was amongst those expected to join a
wave of defection that hit the APC last week, having made several
categorical statements that suggested the move was imminent.
At
least 14 senators and 37 House of Representatives announced their exit
from the APC at the parliament last week. While most of those who
severed ties with the ruling party joined the PDP, Nigeria’s main
opposition entity, at least one senator and four House members moved to
other political parties, especially the African Democratic Congress.
On
Tuesday, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, made a formal
announcement of his exit from the APC to join the PDP. In a statement he
later released, he accused influential persons of the APC of
intolerance and causing his exit.
“While I take full
responsibility for this decision, I will like to emphasise that it is a
decision that has been inescapably imposed on me by certain elements and
forces within the APC who have ensured that the minimum conditions for
peace, cooperation, inclusion and a general sense of belonging did not
exist,” he said.
While some other senators who were expected to
decamp also failed to do so on Tuesday, it was Mr Sani’s non-defection
that drew the most insinuations from Nigerians.
Mr Sani later
told PREMIUM TIMES that ex-Kaduna governor Balarabe Musa, APC National
Chairman Adams Oshiomhole and party leader, Bola Tinubu, were among
those who persuaded him not to leave the APC for the main opposition
party, PDP.
Mr Sani’s confrontation with his state governor,
Nasir El-Rufai, is one of the most virulent rivalry in this political
dispensation despite both men belonging to the APC.
The politicians snapped at each other shortly after settling down in their respective offices after their 2015 election.
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