THE leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus in the Senate yesterday denied knowledge of any plot by its members to remove Senator Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President.
Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume warned after his removal that Ekweremadu should watch his back as he may be the next on the line, forcing speculations that the APC caucus were making move to remove him from the position.
Speaking with newsmen at the APC National Secretariat, Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan and Majority Whip, Senator Sola Adeyeye denied that the APC caucus had such an agenda.
When asked about the planned removal of Ekweremadu, Senator Lawan said: “I don’t know about that. I have no idea, all l know is that my colleagues in the Senate APC caucus held a meeting and decided that l should be made the Senate Leader and that happened Tuesday last week as you all know.
“We are looking forward to working together in a very brotherly and fraternal manner in the Senate indeed with other Senators from other political parties like the PDP and other parties. I don’t have any idea if anybody tries to impeach someone in the Senate.”
He said his emergence as the Senate leader was in compliance with the wishes of the party saying “this is in compliance with party supremacy that has been expressed by our party and the President and the significance here is unity and stability of the APC in the Senate; the impunity of our party and off course this would transform by the grace of God into better productivity for our government.
“This would consolidate the unity and stability of the party and the relationship between the party and the APC senator caucus and of course because we will now operate on the same page that is the trio of the legislature, the presidency and the party and there would better understand, cooperation and better delivery if services to Nigerians.”
Senate Whip Sola Adeyeye said the caucus of the party has never discussed the issue of removing the deputy senate President, describing it as mere rumour.
He said: “I am a member of the APC caucus in the Senate; l have been a principal officer of the APC caucus and l am aware of the effort of the party that led to the emergency of Senator Lawan. I have never at any meeting private or otherwise heard of what you have just said. It is in the realm of speculation but speculation is not new to politics.”
APC Senate caucus denies anti-Ekweremadu plot
