Sanction Threat Grip APC Members

There are indications that the leadership of the
All Progressives Congress may sanction former
Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Sokoto State
Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, over the outcome
of the National Assembly elections of Monday.
Sources within the APC said Atiku colluded with
Senator Bukola Saraki to undermine the will of
the party while Tambuwal, who is
the immediate
past Speaker of the House of Representatives,
supported Yakubu Dogara who emerged as
Tambuwal’s successor.
The suspicion of the APC leadership was
reignited by the fact that Atiku was the first
person Saraki visited after emerging as Senate
President on Monday, apparently to thank Atiku.
A reliable source within the party said the party
was aware of moves by the Peoples Democratic
Party to secure principal offices in the National
Assembly over a month ago and that was why
the party selected staunch APC members –
Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila – as its
candidates for Senate President and Speaker
respectively.
The source said the APC knew that the PDP
would approach its old members to actualise this
plan. Both Saraki and Dogara defected to the
APC from the PDP.
The source said, “We started keeping tabs on
Atiku in January when he showed that he was
not interested in the success of President
Muhammadu Buhari when Buhari was our
presidential candidate. Our fears were reignited
when the then President, Goodluck Jonathan,
paid Atiku a visit shortly before the elections.
“A large section of Atiku’s supporters defected to
the PDP a day after that meeting with Jonathan
and that was why Jonathan’s Special Adviser on
Political Affairs, Rufai Alkali, said shortly after
that meeting that Atiku would soon return to the
PDP. Atiku even admitted himself that he did
not attend Buhari’s rallies.
“Don’t you find it curious that the first person
that Saraki visited after emerging as Senate
President was Atiku? We have information that
Atiku told his supporters in the Senate to vote
for Saraki and that was what happened. We know
that Atiku is still nursing a presidential ambition
for 2019 and he is now beginning to build
blocks.”
The source said the APC had evidence that
Tambuwal supported Dogara so that he
(Tambuwal) could retain his influence over the
lower chamber of the National Assembly.
He said Tambuwal ensured that Dogara emerged
the Chairman, House Services Committee, which
is the most influential committee in the House
because of his closeness to Dogara.
He said, “Tambuwal is also nursing a presidential
ambition and needs to retain control over the
House. He will not be able to retain such
influence if Gbajabiamila is the Speaker.”
When contacted, the media aide to Tambuwal,
Mallam Imam Imam, said he had no comment
over the issue.
Also, a text message to an aide of Atiku was
neither acknowledged nor replied.
APC spokesperson, Lai Mohammed, said the
emergence of Saraki and Dogara was
unacceptable to the party and that the party
would mete out appropriate sanctions against
erring members.