Some All Progressives Congress, APC, Lawmakers, have stated that they have uncovered a plot by the National Assembly Leadership, to secretly send out invitations via text messages to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Lawmakers, to resume on Tuesday, September 25.
A member of the APC from the North-West geopolitical zone, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the PDP Senators plan to embarrass President Muhammadu Buhari on that day, by passing a vote-of-no-confidence on him.
The plan, according to him, is that the PDP Lawmakers will capitalise on the killings in the North, and Buhari’s refusal to sign the Electoral Law Amendment Bill, among others, to justify their action.
He said: “They know that Tuesday is resumption, and the APC Presidential primary, where Buhari is expected to emerge as the candidate, will also hold that day. They are also aware that many of us will like to witness the occasion.
“They did not want the news of Buhari’s emergence as the sole candidate to dominate the media space that day; so, they want the vote-of-no-confidence story to spoil the show for our party.”
Another APC Senator said: “Yes, (members of the) opposition in the National Assembly are planning to strike. They want to open the Federal Parliament at a time the APC Lawmakers would be busy with their screening and preparing for the primaries.
“The whole idea is to make it possible for the PDP Lawmakers to hide under the guise of INEC budget and Electoral Act amendments, especially the sequence of elections, to pass a vote-of-no-confidence on the President.
“Part of their reasons is the unabated killings going on in the country, either by the herdsmen or by the boko haram insurgents.”
Another APC Senator who also spoke, alleged that the PDP Leadership in both Chambers, are planning to woo aggrieved APC members, who might have lost out of the party, with automatic tickets on resumption.
He disclosed: “They are also trying to make more contacts when the NASS reopens. They are targeting some APC Lawmakers, who may be dissatisfied with the outcome of their party’s primaries.
“They are reserving some seats, even if it means dropping some of their candidates, just to ensure that they form an overwhelming majority in both Chambers, to really play the role of the opposition and frustrate President Buhari.
“There is provision for replacement of candidates in the INEC constitution, till next year. They are trying to see how they can cash in on these things, but the most important thing now, is that they want to reopen NASS on Tuesday, while we are still busy with our primaries.”
Asked how the Leadership wants to reconvene the National Assembly without the knowledge of the APC members, the Lawmaker revealed that two types of text messages would be sent out.
He said the first set would be sent on Monday morning, strictly to PDP Lawmakers, while their counterparts in the APC would get their own, late on Monday night.
He said: “The first set of text messages will be sent to all their own party Legislators, 24 hours before reconvening (Monday). The next set of text messages will be sent in the night of that day, and everybody will be told to appear in the morning.
“They just want to make sure that we are not around by the time they sit. They will deliberately delay the text message meant for other members (APC Lawmakers), till late Monday night.
“They will also make the announcement on the National Television and Radio stations, late on Monday night, that everybody should appear. They know that this is not possible, because we will not be in Abuja.
“Besides, we will not be prepared for such emergency resumption. Whatever decision taken would be binding on everybody, since we all endorsed the motion that the annual recess should end on September 25.”
Meanwhile, members of the National Assembly have said that they will return from recess on Tuesday, as its Leadership has not announced the postponement of resumption, because of the forthcoming primaries of political parties.
Speaking, Senator Ali Ndume noted that he was not aware of any plot by the PDP Lawmakers to dominate the plenary, on Tuesday, and pass resolutions against Buhari.
Ndume stated that such “ambush” would be impossible, as the Principal Officers must be around to coordinate the proceedings.
The former Majority Leader stated: “We are not aware of any postponement; so, we assume that the earlier date stands, unless there is another announcement.”
Ndume however, stressed that APC members in the National Assembly would not dump the Presidential primary for Legislative duties.
He added: “There are always activities in the parties, even when the National Assembly is in session. We can only suspend (Legislative) activities for that day, if we have to.
“Actually, what is supposed to happen is that the National Assembly is supposed to resume, considering the fact that we have matters of urgent national importance before the National Assembly.
“Party activities should not be an excuse. Do not forget that the APC and the PDP cannot have their major activities on the same day.
“If we resume, and we can form a quorum, activities can go on. Either the APC or the PDP has the number to form a quorum that will allow the business of the National Assembly to go on.”
Reacting to the alleged plot by the PDP caucus, Ndume revealed: “That cannot happen; we cannot ambush ourselves, especially when both sides are known. If there is Presidential primary, then plenary has to be suspended.
“How can they (PDP) even do that, when they do not have the majority Leader and the Deputy Majority Leader? The Leader is the person that leads the business of the Chamber. How can you do that without the person?
“The Leader must be there, and in the absence of the Leader, it is the Deputy, and the Deputy is also in the APC. There is nowhere in our rule that someone else can act in the absence of the two. There is no provision like that.”
Also, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege maintained that he had no information contrary to the scheduled Tuesday resumption. “I am not aware of any, neither resumption nor postponement”, he said.
In the same vein, a Member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Sunday Karimi, (PDP, Kogi), who was asked about the certainty of resuming on Tuesday, said: “I do not know about another date.”
Reacting to the allegation that the PDP Senators plan to pass a vote-of-no-confidence on Buhari, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, (PDP, Kwara South), said that Nigerians would vote the President out of office.
Ibrahim, who expressed uncertainty about resumption on Tuesday, urged the APC Lawmakers to be at the Chambers, should the date be maintained.
He said: “Since there is no contest for the President at their primary, being the sole Aspirant, they should wait in Abuja, and they should use ‘helicopter’ to monitor the National Assembly, since they have the power and watch. They have always been thinking that they have the powers to do such things, we do not have the powers. We cannot do anything.
“We will resume normally. We are not thinking about anything of such, either to pass any vote-of-no-confidence, or to impeach the President. Nigerians will vote out the President.”
Post-Nigeria recalls however, how some Lawmakers, on September 9, called on the Leadership of both Chambers, to extend their resumption from September 25, to the second week of October.
A cross-section of the Lawmakers from both the Senate and House of Representatives, had explained that the September 25 earlier fixed date, was no longer feasible.
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