President Muhammadu Buhari has differed from his party, the All Progressives Congress in his reaction to the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as senate president and Yakubu Dogara as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

While the APC was vehement in its condemnation of the new elected leaders over “their treachery, betrayal and monumental indiscipline”, threatening also to sanction them, President Buhari did not pull any punches.

President Muhammadu Buhari(PMB)

Without outrightly endorsing the new leaders, the President said he wished they had respected the position of the party. The APC had backed Senator Ahmed Lawan form Yobe state and Femi Gbajabiamila from Lagos state, for the two leadership positions.

But both Saraki and Dogara forged alliances with PDP members of both houses to defy the party and have their way.

A statement issued by Femi Adesina, Buhari’s Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), said “the president would rather that the process of electing the leaders as initiated and concluded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been followed. Nonetheless the President took the view that a constitutional process has somewhat occurred.

“President Buhari had said in an earlier statement that he did not have any preferred candidate for the Senate and the House of Representatives, and that he was willing to work with whoever the lawmakers elected,” Adesina said.

“That sentiment still stands. Though he would have preferred the new leaders to have emerged through the process established by the party”.

Adesina stressed that the stability of our constitutional order and overall interest of the common man were uppermost on the President’s mind, as far as the National Assembly elections were concerned.

The President called on all the elected representatives of the people to focus on the enormous task of bringing enduring positive change to the lives of Nigerians.