The APC national secretary, Mai Mala Buni had on Sunday issued a statement urging Messrs. Saraki and Dogara to abide by the decision of the party.
Governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC, have called an emergency meeting to seek ways of reuniting the ruling party that is threatened by a major crisis over the choice of new leaders for the Senate and the House of Representatives.
PREMIUM TIMES confirmed at the national secretariat of the APC that the meeting was called by the chairman of the APC governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha.
A source at the secretariat said the meeting would hold by 5p.m. Monday at the Imo state governors lodge in Asokoro Abuja.
The source said the meeting would discuss how to find a solution to the crisis generated by the election of a new Senate President and Speaker.
The APC had conducted a mock election to elect candidate for the two offices on Saturday and Messrs. Ahmed Lawan from Yobe and Femi Gbajabiamila were elected as Senate President and Speaker of the House respectively.
However, the two main challengers to the posts, Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, who are also members of the party, boycotted the election and rejected its outcome.
They also vowed to defy the party and seek for the mandate of their colleagues in an election billed for Tuesday.
The APC national secretary, Mai Mala Buni had on Sunday issued a statement urging Messrs. Saraki and Dogara to abide by the decision of the party.
The two contenders rejected the plea by the party leadership and vowed to challenge the party’s candidates on Tuesday.
Osinbanjo meets with Reps elect
Meanwhile, PREMIUM TIMES understands that after several failed attempts by the party leadership to persuade Messrs Saraki and Dogara to drop their ambitions, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has decided to wade into the matter.
One of the lawmakers loyal to Mr. Dogara confirmed that the Vice President had invited all members to a meeting, even as he said they would boycott it.
“We received text messages from the party informing us of a meeting with the Vice President today; however, we see no difference between the Vice President and those trying to impose leaders on the House of Representatives, so we would not be attending,” he said.
PREMIUM TIMES understands the meeting is already underway and Senators-elect are also attending.