‘Saraki’s impeachment shelved for national interest’

The All Progressives Congress (APC) senators opted to suspend their threats to impeach Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in the overall national interest.

This view was expressed by Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan yesterday.

Lawan had at the APC Convention in Eagle Square, Abuja last Saturday, told his fellow party men that APC caucus would upon National Assembly resumption on October 9, ensure that it regained its rightful position by ousting Saraki.

The Senate Leader had implied that APC senators would make real their threat by removing from office Saraki, following his defection from APC to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in July.

But while the nation looked forward to heated sessions in accordance with the threat in the National Assembly after its formal resumption on Wednesday, everywhere was very calm, making many Nigerians to wonder the essence of the persistent threat of impeachment against both Saraki and House of Representatives’ Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, for over two months.

When asked why they failed to carry out their threats, Lawan, answering questions from journalists in the State House, said they placed the necessity to be patriotic above partisan or personal issues.

The senator, who further claimed that they opted to put Nigerian interest first, added that they only had disagreement which he said was normal.

According to him, the main commitment now is to ensure that Nigerians are offered deserved benefits by treating all pending national issues before them.

“I don’t know what informed your view to anticipate crisis but let me tell you that National Assembly will continue to remain focused on national issues.

“We must be patriotic, nationalistic. We must put national interest above individuals, parochial or partisan interest,” Lawan said.