Sources close to the party said that the meeting would discuss the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to do it all alone in choosing his ministers, while rejecting most nominees from the states.
It was also gathered that a key issue on the agenda was the brewing crisis in the Senate, following the arraignment of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, before that Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
The arraignment is already threatening to turn the Senate over to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following the resolve of Saraki’s loyalists to back a candidate from the opposition party for the plum job in the event that Saraki was removed unceremoniously.
It was learnt that Saraki’s traducers were relying on Section 18 of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, which empowered the CCT to remove any inducted officer from office.
It was gathered that the APC was worried that it might be unable to assert its full authority in the Senate, even if Saraki was removed, a situation that had necessitated a proactive measure from the NWC.
A source close to the party, said: “It seems we have a monster in our hands and if not properly handled, could spell doom for us. It is one of the issues we are going to handle before darkness comes. It is true that Nigerians voted for APC overwhelmingly, but we must manage this success well before the power struggle therein consumes us.
“A lot of issues are bedeviling the party. There is the issue of the reported rift between Lagos State governor and his predecessor. There is the issue of ministerial list, over which many stakeholders are unhappy. Also, that Governor Akinwumi Ambode and former governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola are seen as washing their dirty linens in the streets cannot help the party. Something must be done and this is why the today’s NWC is crucial to us. To win election is one thing and to settle down to good governance is another,” another top APC member said.
It was gathered that top members of the party were unhappy that they didn’t have insights into the composition of the Federal Executive Council at a time the leadership of the Senate was about to slip off the party’s hands.
It was also leant that senators were already divided on the way forward in handling the crisis rocking the chamber over Saraki.
While loyalists of the APC in the chamber are insisting on seeing Saraki off his seat through that CCT trial, some members of the PDP are seeing undue interference in the affairs of the Senate through the backdoor.
The senators are set to hold a crucial meeting today to decide the way forward.
So far, the Saraki group appears to be in the majority, even though the Senate Unity Forum, which is pursuing the APC agenda in the Senate is seeking to lobby some loyalists of the Senate President. It appears that PDP is retaining its block votes of 49 for the Senate President.
A senator of the PDP, said that the senators were not seeing corruption trial in the Saraki saga, adding: “Why must there be preferential treatment and separate rules, whereas, Senator Bola Tinubu was acquitted for non-compliance with section 3 (D), the chairman of the CCT is insisting on Dr Saraki standing trial for an issue that the former Lagos State governor was acquitted and the suit struck out.”
...Politicians, senators, others relocate to Abuja •List due for submission this week
AS the nation awaits the release of the names of the ministerial nominees by President Muhammadu Buhari, several stakeholders, such as politicians, National Assembly members and others, on Sunday, started relocating to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, after the Sallah celebration to monitor unfolding events.
President Buhari had insisted that he would unfold his cabinet before the end of this month and less than three days to the end of the month, it was learnt that all hands had been on the deck at the Presidency in order to meet the deadline.
It was gathered that to this end, all normal security checks on all the nominees by the security forces had been completed and the final list would be transmitted to the Senate this week, barring any last minutes changes.
The National Assembly which had been on annual recess is expected to resume tomorrow, if resumption date would not be altered again because of the October 1st Independence Day anniversary slated for this week.
Following the feelers from the Presidency that the list would be transmitted to the Senate this week for the final screening, it was gathered as of press time, that some of the ministerial hopeful and their associates have been arriving Abuja since Sunday.
It was also gathered that the bookings by the politicians, as well as the lawmakers at most the hotels in the FCT had been on the increase since Saturday.
A senator who confirmed the rush to Abuja by his colleagues and other stakeholders on the ministerial list on Sunday, said “it is expected, because there are many contending issues, raging from the trial of the Senate President before the Code of Conduct Tribunal and some powerful blocs within and outside who want to be there or their surrogates at all cost.”
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