Date: 2018-08-02

Proud of still maintaining majority with 53 senators, the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus rose from a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday and ordered defecting Senate President Bukola Saraki to resign.

The National Chairman of APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, called for Saraki's resignation when he emerged from a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Oshiomhole told State House correspondents in Abuja that the Senate President should as "a matter of honour leave the crown in the house that the crown belongs".

Some senators elected on the platform of the APC led by the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan were also at the meeting held with the President Buhari at the Presidential Villa.

"But whatever is the reason, we can decamp from the party but we can't decamp from Nigeria.

"The only thing is that there are other consequential issues that every man or woman of honour, who had taken such decisions would be expected to follow through.

"I mean you should not collect a crown that belongs to a family and wear it on behalf of the family if for your personal reasons which he has enumerated that he has gone to another family. It is just a matter of honour to leave the crown in the house that the crown belongs to," Oshiomhole said.

He maintains that the ruling party still has the largest party in the Senate.

"As it stands even now, APC is still the largest party in the Senate, we have 53 senators, that is much more than PDP has, or APGA has. "I have been consistent with that during the campaign, I have been consistent since I was sworn in. I have made the points in my acceptance speech, I have emphasised this when I met with the Senate caucus and speech.

I have emphasised this when I met with the House of Representatives caucus, that we are ready to do justice to anyone who is genuinely aggrieved and whose grievances are such that we can deal with them provided we enthrone justice, fairness and all sides purge themselves of any arrogance.

"To the best of my knowledge, all senators, house of reps members were happy, the ones that are not negotiable, there is nothing we can do about it."

Oshiomhole also claimed that the defection is not surprising. According to him, the defectors had previously given clear signs before now.

"Nobody in the APC will be surprised about the development, in fact, they have stayed a little bit longer than we thought.

Last week the Kwara has State Governor was alluded to have said he was leaving but he didn't say when.

"So, we are not surprised at all."

Saraki defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday he party he and some of his supporters, including five governors left in 2014.

He said his return to the party after winning the senate president's seat on the platform of APC, according to him was to enjoy a greater sense of belonging and in the interest of a greater number of Nigerians.

Similar to what happened in 2014, Saraki has left APC with governors of Kwara, Sokoto and Benue state for now also with his protege APC Spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi.