Date: 2018-08-15

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has likened Senate President Bukola Saraki's failure to reconvene the National Assembly to consider the budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other requests by President Muhammadu Buhari as bothering "on high treason".

Party spokesman Yekini Nabena, in a statement, said: "As Chairman of the Eighth National Assembly, Saraki's decision not to reconvene the National Assembly, done with the support of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, further buttresses our position that Saraki is ever ready to pursue his selfish interests over national interest.

"This is another brazen display of his penchant for abuse of powers and sabotage of government, however the cost and implication.

"While Saraki and his cohorts continue to postpone their doomsday regarding the imminent Senate leadership change, the yet-to-be considered 2019 budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is dangerously delayed. Clearly, Saraki's actions as Senate President now bother on high treason."

The ruling party also accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of incubating a sinister plans to attack APC senators as part of plans to ensure that the Senate President clung on to power. The APC statement said: "Our attention has been drawn to sinister plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to attack some APC senators as part of the PDP's desperate bid to ensure that Dr. Bukola Saraki clings to the position of Senate President.

"We call on security agents to protect APC senators. If any senator is harmed, the PDP and Saraki should be held directly responsible.

"We were informed that the plot was hatched in the private residence of a PDP leader in Maitama-Abuja on Sunday night. The meeting was attended by 15 pro-Saraki senators.

"We learnt that the PDP expressed worry over the APC's Senate majority and considered several options to stop the APC from taking over the Senate leadership, among which is attacking some APC senators to ensure their inability to attend legislative sittings.

"The PDP has recruited thugs for this purpose, we have now learnt.

'During Sunday's meeting, the PDP senators planned several types of attack, one of which is to lure some of them (APC senators) out at night in the guise of inviting senators to a political settlement meeting and thereafter instigate a violent confrontation during the meeting and unleash standby PDP thugs on APC senators."

The APC accused the Senate president of making overtures to APC senators, who, it said, rejected his move.

"As a party, we don't believe in inducing lawmakers to achieve our legitimate goal of removing Saraki as Senate President. We will get the support of some PDP Senators to get the required 2/3 vote and impeach Saraki," it said.