The defection of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is no doubt threatening the balance of power within the National Assembly as sources confirmed that a tsunami is expected to hit the chambers anytime soon.
Insiders told Global Excellence magazine that, already there is intense lobbying in both the senate and the House of Representatives by national lawmakers loyal to the former vice president.
Those who have the knowledge about the developments confirmed that the Atiku factor had loomed large within the two chambers of the National Assembly since the inception of the 8th Assembly in June 2015.
Incidentally, the leadership of both the Senate and the House of Representatives are said to be remotely linked to the Atiku factor, with sources declaring that Atiku’s defection will certainly weigh in on the balance of power in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The sign emerged two years ago when core APC loyalists believed to be loyal to an APC chieftain, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, opposed the emergence of Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara because they were regarded as loyalists of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which Atiku also once belonged.
Saraki emerged the senate president in spite of the odds but had to fight the battle of his life to retain the seat as he was immediately dragged to the Code of Conduct Tribunal over alleged false asset declaration.
With Atiku’s defection to PDP last month, sources said that his loyalists in APC are also preparing their exit, a move that political analysts think could tilt the leadership of both chambers in favour of the PDP.
A number of lawmakers are on Atiku’s side, regaled a source within the senate. “They have been with him for many years and it won’t happen that they would remain in the party when their benefactor is on another platform,” the source said, adding that the sort of scenario that played out following the defection of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to the APC in 2014 could also happen in the Atiku case.
-Alade Ademola
