Why President Buhari Is Yet To Meet Saraki
President Muhammadu Buhari has denied to meet tet-a-tet with Senate President Bukola Saraki two weeks after he won this position.
Saraki is reportedly conspired with chieftains of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a move that both surprised and infuriated the hierarchy of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sahara Reporters said that ex-governor of Kwara state had made several attempts to get a private meeting with the president, to no avail.
One source disclosed that Saraki’s latest try was to follow the president to his hometown of Daura in Katsina state to take part in the beginning of the Ramadan fasting. Buhari reportedly snubbed the move.
Following the president’s snub, Senate President reportedly organised a quiet visit to Vice President Yemi Osibanjo to give excuses for an abusive comment he had made in the heat of his high-stakes tactics to win the leadership of the National Assembly by striking a union with the opposition.
Top APC members said that Saraki had turned down an invitation by VP Osibanjo to discuss his controversial pursuit of the Senate Presidency by noting disdainfully that “a mere commissioner” could not summon him to a meeting.
Vice President, an ex-commissioner in Lagos state, had wanted to meet with Senator Saraki in order to resolve a crisis that appeared from the latter’s scheme to outmaneuver his party.
On his own turn President Buhari had publicly accepted Saraki’s emergence as Senate President. Even so, Buhari has denied to do anything that would amount to a public proof of Saraki’s victory.
Two subordinates of Nigeria’s leader said that Buhari shared the APC’s discouragement with Saraki’s union with the opposition to snatch up the top senate position.
One of the sources said: “The fact of the matter is that the president will not abandon the party’s position altogether.”
“Mr. President has never been comfortable anyway with Dr. Saraki since is well known as a corrupt person who will try to hinder the administration’s fight against corruption,” another added.
There were reports that Senator Saraki, annoyed by Buhari’s denial to meet with him, reached out to ex-president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to beg for help with the president.
Meanwhile, President Buhari was not affected by Saraki’s reasons for conspiring with the PDP to gain power as Senate President.
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