NASS Crisis: Party calls for truce

The All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership has resolved to quench the fire of hate and disagreement over the leadership of the National Assembly that has deepened among party members in the last weeks.

The party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has called on all aggrieved groups to toe reconciliation path.

While speaking to journalists at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday, July 2, Odigie-Oyegun urged the Bukola Saraki-Yakubu Dogara and the Femi Gbajabiamila-Ahmed Lawan factions to sheathe their swords in the interest of the party and the country.

“For me, I think that there is no other way to resolve the conflict other than for all of us to accept compromise.

“It is only when we lose face that we can move forward,’’ he said.

The party members, who believed in the supremacy of APC in the choice of the leadership of the National Assembly, rejected the leaders chosen by lawmakers who thought otherwise.

Therefore, all has not been well in the party since the swearing-in of Senator Bukola Saraki and Representatives Yakubu Dogara, as the Senate President and Speaker, respectively.

Saraki and Dogara had on June 9, defied APC’s directives by contesting their current positions as the party favoured Sen. Ahmed Lawan as Senate President and Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker, respectively.

Also, letters sent to both chambers by the party as regards its choice for other principal officers were rebuffed as all the party’s candidates were not chosen.