TVC E. The opposition party has already chosen a politician to replace Saraki if he resigns – The Unity Forum promised to work with PDP’s candidate for Senate president
There are indications that the next Senate president may be chosen by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It was reported that some members of the opposition party are thinking of Ike Ekweremadu as a likely replacement if there is vacancy in the Senate.
Members of both camps disclosed that they are considering Ekweremadu as a probable substitution for Saraki based on his experience and the fact that he has been Senate president’s deputy since last June.
A senator from the South-East said that members of Like Minds group, who are preponderantly PDP, were already mooting the idea of Ekweremadu succeeding Saraki.
The source said: “We hold meetings everyday and we strategise on the way forward. But many of us were shocked when we read yesterday (Saturday) that the APC was willing to concede the Senate presidency seat to us (PDP). We did not expect it to end like this. “We have always stood by Saraki and we will stand by him till the end. But we also need to start putting the interest of our party (PDP) first.
We have started talking to ourselves and we have started mounting pressure on Ekweremadu to gear up and be prepared to succeed Saraki. He has been the Deputy Senate President for three times now. PDP will take over and Ekweremadu may just be the man.”
In a dramatic turn, the Unity Forum has pledged to work with Ekweremadu in the event that he emerges as Senate president. Saraki’s trial continues today at the Code of Conduct Tribunal having failed to get a new relief from the Federal High Court in Abuja which ruled last Friday that the Senate president should face trial.
