In a revelatory account, Femi Adesina, former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has lifted the lid on an alleged scheme orchestrated by ex-Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in collaboration with former House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and ex-Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to seize the leadership of the National Assembly in 2015.
In his book “Working with Buhari: Reflections Of A Special Adviser, Media And Publicity (2015 – 2023),” Adesina divulged that Saraki, desiring the top spot, purportedly joined forces with PDP lawmakers to fortify his position, capitalizing on a lack of support from most senators of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Adesina recounted the unfolding events, emphasizing the clandestine nature of the maneuver. He underscored the dismay felt by President Buhari regarding Saraki and Dogara’s emergence as leaders of the National Assembly, exposing the covert machinations that led to this unexpected turn of events.
The narrative disclosed a pivotal juncture at the Aso Drive residence, prior to a crucial meeting with APC legislators, when a startling revelation was broadcast on television. The Senate had been hastily convened, and an election was underway, orchestrated by an amalgamation of renegade APC members and the PDP, allegedly bypassing the constitutional requirements.
Adesina’s account offers a rare insight into the political maneuverings that shaped the leadership dynamics of the National Assembly, providing a controversial and compelling narrative of power play at the highest echelons of Nigerian politics.
