The prospect of peaceful resumption in the two chambers of the National Assembly today was, yesterday, being clouded by uncertainty despite trouble shooting efforts that were still in the works at press time last night. It was feared last night that should the peace efforts fail, the brawl that smeared the last sitting of the House of Representatives last month could replay itself and spread to the Senate on the resumption of the two chambers today. The fears were upon the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari to decisively reconcile the two camps of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the House at a meeting he summoned, yesterday evening. Before the failed meeting by the President which ended last night without a breakthrough, meetings by APC governors to reconcile the party’s brawling camps in the Senate also failed to produce a major result. Ahead of the meeting with the President in the villa, yesterday, the Yakubu Dogara-led leadership of the House issued a stern warning of possible sanctions against trouble makers who may decide to run riot in the chambers today. The ad-hoc committee on Code of Conduct warned that any member that exhibits any act capable of disrupting the sitting would face severe sanctions. The meeting with Buhari At the meeting in the villa, the President appealed to the two camps led by Speaker Dogara and Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, who was defeated in the leadership contest, to sheathe their swords and project the interests of the party. He pleaded with the members to heed the party’s positions on the issues, a stance that was immediately lapped up by Gbajabiamila, who is being projected by his camp to become the House Leader. That quest is, however, opposed by the mainstream of the House led by Dogara on the claim that it would infringe on the principle of federal character given that the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rep. Yusuf Lasun is also from the same Southwest zone as Gbajabiamila. Coming out from the meeting, some members apparently divided in their interests wore looks of anxiety. Those who spoke said that the President asked the House leadership to toe the party’s line in appointing principal officers. However, Dogara and Gbajabimaila told State House correspondents that they were optimistic the problem would be resolved soon. It’s a family affair. The first to speak was Gbajabiamila, who said that the meeting was a family affair. “We had a family meeting. We spoke heart to heart. The President was very forthright. It was basically on party supremacy. I believe that by the end of the day, before the end of this night, you guys will know the outcome. We are still talking. But I think this is the first time everybody is coming together in a cordial atmosphere as one family. I think we are almost at the point where all of these will be behind us.” Oyegun Also speaking, National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said that hopes were bright that the party would pull through.
