Saraki can’t declare Akpabio’s seat vacant – APC

*Insists Saraki must resign honourably or be impeached

*APC defectors are funny, declare Akpabio’s seat vacant and you, 14 others lose your seats, Nigerians react

“The real issue remains our clear position that the Senate President honourably steps down or be impeached. Dr. Saraki’s ‘vote of no confidence’ which the so-called rAPC alleges has since been passed going by our Party’s rejection of his leadership of the Senate.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to a call for the embattled Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to declare the seat of former Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Obot Akpabio, vacant, saying it lacks the powers to do so.

The ruling Party, in a statement on Sunday, signed by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yekini Nabena, and copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER, explained why it does not respond to the makers of the call, “the so-called ‘Reformed All Progressives Congress (rAPC)’.”

It said it does not respond to rAPC because it is neither a duly-registered political party nor a faction of it as, according the APC, it labours to sell to the public.

The ruling Party however made it clear that the statement credited to the splinter group now clearly found as members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) asking Saraki to declare Akpabio’s seat vacant was merely a borrowed and scripted tactic, a kind of sensitisation to get attention of the media. It called on the Nigerian public to disregard the statement and should not give it any attention and credence.

The APC said, “The content of their statement particularly the request to the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki to declare the seat of Senator Godswill Akpabio vacant, is a borrowed and scripted tactic – sensationalism and comical conspiracies – typically used by unknown groups to get media attention to their normally unserious activities. The statement should not be given any attention and credence.

“The real issue remains our clear position that the Senate President honourably steps down or be impeached. Dr. Saraki’s ‘vote of no confidence’ which the so-called rAPC alleges has since been passed going by our Party’s rejection of his leadership of the Senate.

“We reiterate that the Senate President being a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in an All Progressives Congress (APC) numerically-dominated Senate cannot maintain a minority rule in the Upper House.”

In the meantime, some Nigerians, who have spoken on the call by those they addressed as APC defectors still calling themselves rAPC, saw through the lens of the APC National Secretariat as they described the Buba Galadima-led bloc in the PDP currently as funny people.

One of them, Mr. Wale Ogunyemi, said, “Yes, I agree that they are funny people because they appear to be speaking before they think.  And don’t forget that exactly is the way of the PDP politicians and, of course, they are there already with them.  But let me say this point blank that, I know they are planning to do what the APC defectors have just called for but let me tell you, if Saraki would declare the seat of Akpabio vacant because he defected from PDP to APC, he should know that it is automatic he and 14 other senators who defected from the APC to PDP and ADC will also lose their seats.  Full stop!” Ogunyemi said.