Calls for Saraki’s resignation, impeachment purely party affair – FG

The Federal Government has stated that it is not in anyway involved in
the call for the resignation or impeachment of the Senate President,
Bukola Saraki, because "it is purely party affair''.

AlhajI Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, stated
this on Tuesday while addressing reporters during an advocacy visit to
Blueprint newspapers.

He however pointed out that the demand of the All Progressives
Congress, APC, for Saraki's resignation was legitimate.

The minister said the Federal Government was surprised by the failure
of the National Assembly to reconvene on Tuesday for consideration of
INEC's supplementary budget for the 2019 general elections.

He stated that sudden change of decision by the National Assembly to
reconvene came as a surprise, but the Federal Government was reaching
out to resolve the deadlock.

While fielding questions from the management of the newspaper,
Mohammed said, "We were surprised that it is being postponed, but I
want to assure Nigerians that as we speak, the executive is reaching
out to the legislators to resolve this.

"This is not about playing politics, elections must hold, no
alternative to holding the 2019 general election.

"We appeal to the sense of patriotism of our National Assembly members
to put differences with the Executive behind them, real or perceived
ones."

Speaking further, he urged federal lawmakers to put party differences
behind them and do their patriotic duties.

"We believed that the impasse will be resolved very soon in the
interest of the nation.

"The seed of discord we are witnessing in the National Assembly today
was sowed when Sen. Bukola Saraki installed himself as Senate
President against the wish of the party.

"The practice all over the world is that the party with majority will
determine the leadership of the Assembly,'' he said.

Mohammed stated that when a Speaker of the House of Representatives
emerged in 1979 was entirely a different scenario to what happened in
2015.

"The 1979 being used as justification was not correct because the NPN
was unable to have majority in the House and therefore merged with
NPP.

"The NPN and the NPP sat together and agreed that while NPN takes
control of the Senate the NPP will take control of leadership of the
House of Representatives,'' he said.

The minister said the Saraki made matters worse when Sen. Ike
Ekweremadu of PDP emerged as Deputy Senate President.

"By making PDP as Deputy Senate President, the APC is done for. This
is a danger and time bomb waiting to happen.

"It is legitimate for the party to say, if you leave my party upon
which you ride to become Senate President it is only right for Saraki
to leave the party,'' he said.