How Obasanjo Forced President Buhari To Intervene In NASS Crisis

The reports appeared that ex-president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has played a crucial role in resolving the National Assembly leadership crisis.  

Vanguard reports that Obasanjo’s call to President Muhammadu Buhari made Buhari change his decision not to intervene in the leadership crisis that hit the House of Representatives which was resolved on Tuesday, July 28, with the election of Femi Gbajabiamila as the House leader.

After the deadlock that occurred following the election of Yakubu Dogara as the Speaker of the House and the insistence by Nigerian leader that he will not interfere, some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) approached ex-president to speak with President Buhari to avoid a crisis in the House of Reps.

One of the lawmakers, who was privy to the decision, said that a group of concerned members of the lower chamber of NASS decided that since President Buhari was obstinate on his position about not interfering in the leadership crisis, it was decided that they should approach Obasanjo to intervene on their behalf.

“Initially, we wanted to approach members of his transition committee, especially those who have been with him for a long time, to impress on the President on the need to have a say in the leadership of the National assembly.  We met a brick wall and decided that the best bet is the former President, who is respected by President Buhari and he knows the implications of not having his foot in the National Assembly leadership. And he was amenable to our suggestion,” he said.

The former president told Buhari that it is important for Nigeria’s democracy that he should intervene to ensure party supremacy.

The source added: “We believe that it was that intervention that led to the resolution of the crisis.”

It would be recalled that following the controversial June 9 election of the National Assembly leaders, more than ever before the ruling party have been living with the tension of a possible break up.

Nigerians within and outside the country have severely criticised the decision of Senator Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara to flout the party’s wish and stood against its consensual candidates.