Again, Buhari woos Saraki not to leave APC

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to meet with the Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Presidential Villa in Abuja Sunday night.

But the President of the Senate, Sunday stated that he will make his position known to Nigerians on which political party he would join very soon.

According to a THISDAY report, the meeting which is at the instance of President Buhari, is the second of such meeting to be called in less than a week by the President to look at developments in the ruling All Progressives Congress with a view to ensuring cohesion within the party ahead of 2019 general elections.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara , sources told THISDAY, may also attend the meeting alongside some party chieftains, including governors.

President Buhari had on Thursday met with Saraki in the company of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and some state governors, including Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Bello Masari of Katsina State.

Saraki had earlier on Sunday been conferred with the traditional title of Waziri Garin Ilorin by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, before proceeding to Adeleke University, Ede in Osun State where he gave the fifth convocation lecture of the university.

Speaking with reporters shorty after the 4th convocation of Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, Saraki stressed that his position would be made public when the time comes.

He also congratulated his colleague, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on his emergence as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming Osun State gubernatorial poll.

According to him, “I congratulate him. Apart from being a member of the PDP, he is a colleague of mine in the Senate. I could see he is popular and well accepted. So, I wish him all the best in the election ahead.”

Speaking on the defection rumour, Saraki said he will tell Nigerians which party he belongs when it is time.
He said: “As I said recently, when it is time, I will tell Nigerians where I am and I am going to do that very soon.”

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is down and desperately seeking for help from a coalition to recover.

In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi, APC accused the PDP of trying to hide its irredeemably bad image under the heap of a new coalition.

The ruling party said on its part, it was only acting responsibly by seeking to reconcile with aggrieved members.

“What President Muhammadu Buhari and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of our party are doing, persuading every aggrieved member not to leave the Party, is what responsible and sensible party leaders would do.

“If the PDP had the same presence of mind in 2015, perhaps the calamity that befell them would have been averted,”, Oshiomhole said.