Senate Presidency: Saraki withdraws, Endorses David Mark of PDP

Following disagreement over the selection of a candidate for senate presidency, Senator Bukola Saraki has reportedly withdrawn. The former Kwara State governor and some disgruntled APC senators have decided to back David Mark for a third term as the senate president, Sahara Reporters says.

Some angered APC lawmakers led by for former Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State have reportedly reached an alliance with People's Democratic Party lawmakers overnight to present a PDP candidate as President of the Senate. Immediate past Senate President, David Mark, was named as the likely beneficiary of Mr. Saraki's revolt.

Also it is reported that former Senate President David Mark has been mobilizing disgruntled APC senators to back him for a third term in the premier post at the Senate, Sahara Reporters added.

Another source disclosed that several PDP senators were demanding outrageous sums of money from APC leaders in exchange for casting their votes for candidates favored by the party.

Former Governor Saraki is reportedly irate that he was schemed out of the APC's nomination for the Senate Presidency. Last Saturday, the party bypassed the former governor amid concerns that he could not be totally relied upon to lead an effective and cooperative Senate that would give President Buhari reliable legislative backing. Instead, the APC adopted Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan from Nigeria's northeast state of Yobe as its candidate for the Senate Presidency.

It was learnt that President Buhari had expressed serious concerns to some associates that a Nigerian Senate led by Mr. Saraki would not lend him the necessary legislative backing to wage a major war against corruption.

Mr. Saraki carries a lot of corruption baggage, dating back to his days as an executive of the defunct Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria, and continuing with his tenure as Kwara State governor.

Meanwhile, Bamikole Omishore, Special assistant on media and advocacy to Senator Bukola Saraki, has dismissed rumours that the former Kwara state governor will dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for another party.

Saraki, who switched from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC is unhappy with his party's conduct of mock primaries for Senate President which was held on Saturday, 6 June.

He boycotted the election along with members of Like Mind describing the process as "undemocratic and against universal electoral norms and practice."

Since the boycott, rumour of his exit from the party has been making the rounds. But in response to the rumours, Omishore wrote on Twitter. "There is absolutely no iota of truth in rumour that Sen @bukolasaraki will dump APC we are committed to CHANGE. NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL," he said.