*“Your son has returned home”, Ogun Senator tells Buhari
*Senate: APC now 54 – 2 vacant, PDP 47 – 1 suspended, ADC 2, APGA 2
*Our Reps majority intact – APC
*Reps: APC 192, PDP 156, ADC 4, APGA 5, Accord 1, SDP 1, Vacant 1
*We have number enough to dictate policy direction – Lawmaker
The claim by Senate President Bukola Saraki that Ogun Central’s Senator Lanre Tejuoso was one of 15 senators who decamped from All Progressives Congress (APC) to People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday has been exposed to be no more than clear fallacy, as the senator in question denied he did not.
Senator Tejuoso announced his return at a meeting between APC Senators and President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Wednesday night.
While introducing himself to the President, he said: “Mr President, your son has returned home.”
President Buhari and Senator Shehu Sani during the Solidarity Visit by senators to the President on Wednesday.
Also at the meeting was Senator Adesoji Akanbi, Oyo South, who Saraki also claimed had joined the PDP.
He emphatically denied the list of defectors as dubious the following day, saying he remains a member of the APC. His showing up at the meeting with President Buhari affirmed his faith in the APC.
Senator Shehu Sani from Kaduna, who has been blowing hot and cold about his political allegiance was also at the meeting, exchanging banters with his colleagues.
Those at the meeting included Senators Adamu Aliero, Bala Ibn Na-Allah, Aliyu Wamako, Ibrahim Gobir, Kabiru Marafa and Abu Ibrahim.
Others were Kabiru Gaya, Barau Jibrin, Abdullahi Gumel, Ahmed Lawan, Ali Ndume, Abubakar Kyari, Baba Kaka Garbai, Aliyu Abdullahi, David Umaru and Abdullahi Adamu.
President Buhari and Senators.
Sen. George Akume, Francis Alimekhina, Andrew Uchendu, Magnus Abe, Ovie Omo-Agege, John Enoh, Nelson Effiong, Andy Uba, Sunny Ugboji, Hope Uzodinma, Ben Uwajimogu, Yusuf Abubakar and Oluremi Tinub were also in attendance.
Other senators at the meeting were Gbenga Ashafa, Solomon Adeola, Tayo Alasoadura, Ajayi Boroffice , Yele Omogunwa, Fatima Rasaki, Olanrewaju Tejuoso and Yahaya Abdullahi.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, believed to be hobnobbing with the PDP, was among those who were not at the meeting.
With Tejuoso, Akanbi and Sani now firmly identifying with the APC, the party has now increased its majority in the Upper Chamber to 54, enough to dictate the direction of policy.
In the meantime, Nigerians who took to social media Thursday reacting to President Buhari meeting with the Senators, described them as patriotic senators.
President Buhari in talk with some of the senators including Senator Ahmed Lawan and Senator Aliero.
Wale Ojo Lanre said, “Patriotic Senators. These are statesmen of note.”
Buhari S Al-hassan said, “As they obey PMB may Allah let them win in 2019 general elections”.
Muhammadu Mubarak Kai daibari said, “No one praises the thief’s child until he grows big enough. Watch on.”
Tunde Omooba however has a negative side to the meeting as he described Senator Shehu as fake. He said, “Traitor and hypocritical Sanni….fake comrade.”
But Rasheed Alabi closed the comments posting so far gathered with this, “With President Buhari, Nigeria is certainly on the way to the top in the world, by the Grace of Almighty God.”
