INDICATIONS emerged on Sunday that opponents of Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, who have continued to plot his removal from office, have zeroed in on the North Central zone as the area that would produce the successor if they get him out of office.
There had been contention in the camp of Saraki’s traducers all along, as the camp appeared divided on the choice of Saraki’s possible successors from either the North Central or North East.
While some ranking senators had argued that the emergence of Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, had foreclosed the choice of the post of Senate president emerging from the same zone, others argued that since Dogara was not occupying the seat of Senate President, the North East could still produce the chairman of National Assembly.
But at a meeting on Friday, sources close to the camp said it was resolved that the replacement for Saraki should come from the North Central, with a decision to narrow the choices to the trio of Senators George Akume, Barnabas Gemade and Abdullahi Adamu.
The Senate Unity Forum (SUF), which is spearheading the plot, was said to have agreed that Saraki would be persuaded to leave office once he is indicted by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Another sources said the Senate president would also be persuaded to resign to pave the way for “political solution.”
It was gathered that though the group was also banking on securing the required number to effect his impeachment on the floor, the fact that 84 senators stuck out their necks in support of the Senate president last week had become a hindrance.
Another source, however, said with series of activities that would be kicked off this week, following the decision to commence nationwide campaigns against the Senate president, the backing of senators could start waning.
A group, Value and Integrity Group (VID), on Sunday, said it was set to commence a nationwide campaign against Saraki until he resigned from office.
The group’s general secretary, Popoola Ajayi, said the “moral burden” on Saraki over the CCT trial should mandate him to throw in the towel, adding that he could still return to the Senate after the trial.
“We are mounting a nationwide campaign against his continued stay in office. There is the question of moral burden on him and the government cannot fight corruption with him as the leader of the National Assembly.
“In other climes, it is usual for public office holders to leave their seats once accused of infractions.
“It also happened in Nigeria in 2005 when Senator Adolphus Wabara was accused in the bribe for budget scandal, he read a speech on the floor of the Senate to intimate his colleagues that he wanted to go and clear his name.
“We want that culture to continue and permeate the public service,” he said.(TRIBUNE)
