Ekweremadu absent as Buhari meets Saraki, others

IN a rare political rapproachement, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara yesterday led other principal officers of the National Assembly to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari last night.The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu was however absent from the meeting.

The meeting, which took place at the Conference Hall of First Lady’s Office in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, was held behind closed doors. Journalists were. However, barred from covering the meeting.
It was not clear last night what the agenda of the meeting was, but it was not unconnected with the ministerial lists submitted to the Senate for screening and confirmation by the upper legislative chambers.

Saraki has not been seen in the State House since his controversial election on June 9, when the President and other leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)  opposed his emergence in contravention of the party’s preferred choice of Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan from Yobe State.

The only time Saraki was in the Villa was October 1, when the Senate President joined other dignitaries to watch the Change of Guards as part of activities to mark Nigeria’s 55th independence anniversary..

The Guardian gathered from strong Presidency source that after the anniversary, Buhari and Saraki have been having secret meetings as part of the attempts to resolve their differences. Besides,, it was learnt that Saraki has over the last few weeks been sending emissaries to the former Governor of Lagos Sate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pacify him.

The National Assembly leaders arrived the venue of the meeting at exactly 8.48 pm and were ushered into the venue of the meeting, while the President, accompanied by his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo SAN joined them at exactly 9.13 pm. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Mr. Babachir David Lawal. later joined them in the meeting.

Accompanying Saraki were Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, his deputy, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, Senate Minority Leader and former Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio and the Senate Minority Whip, Philip Tanimu Aduda.

Accompanying Dogara were his deputy, Yusuf Suleiman Lasun and House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila
Prior to the meeting between Assembly leadership, Buhari had met with a former South African President, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, who were in Lagos earlier in the day. The two leaders also met behind closed doors.