The APC said Thursday that it had not relented in its desire to remove Senate President Bukola Saraki from office, stating that it would work harder to secure the constitutional requirement to achieve its objective.
Section 50(2)( C ) of the 1999 Constitution requires two thirds of members of the Senate to support the removal of its president, translating to 73 of 109 legislators in the upper chamber.
The ruling party also disassociated itself from the outburst by one of the leaders of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBA) that the group would forcibly remove Saraki from office.
“APC is a law abiding political party and we have no business with Miyetti Allah. PDP is just crying wolf and trying to make baseless allegations. As for the National Assembly, we are determined to fulfill the constitutionally mandated two third majority at the Senate to remove Saraki,” the party said in a statement by its Acting National Publicity, Mr. Yekini Nabene.
Regarding the allegation by the PDP that the APC and Miyetti Allah were in cahoots over the plot to forcibly remove the Senate president, the APC said the party had nothing to do with the statement credited to the group or its members.
“It’s laughable that PDP is trying to link such a group to APC. PDP is merely clutching to every straw in its desperation to remain relevant,” the party said.
PDP had in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday alleged that the Miyetti Allah was taking a cue from the threat by the National Chairman of APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, to remove Saraki from office.
The main opposition party said the unguarded statement by Miyetti Allah had exposed the synergy between the ruling party and some troublesome elements, who were being used to stoke division and create violent crisis that had resulted into daily bloodlettings in various parts of the country.
“However, in the light of these treasonable and inciting utterances by Miyetti Allah, we demand that President Muhammadu Buhari, should within the next 24 hours, order the arrest and commence immediate trial of the leadership of this group, otherwise Nigerians will henceforth hold him directly responsible for the utterances and actions of the Miyetti Allah,” it said.
PDP also alleged that before now, majority of Nigerians had thought that the Miyetti Allah represented the military wing of the APC and the Buhari Presidency.
