APC PLOTS TAKE OVER OF SENATE, WOOS AGGRIEVED PDP SENATORS

The All Progressives Congress(APC) has kick started a fresh bid to take over the Senate following an aggressive bid to woo senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who lost their return bid.
Sources in the polity told the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja that the APC, which initially set up a three-man team to woo senators in the PDP in the wake of the defection of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in October, has now expanded the scope and is targeting the likes of Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba (SAN) and other influential senators.
No fewer than 50 of the 72 PDP senators lost reelection bid in the December 7 primaries.
A source said that at least two members of the contact committee, including Senator Osita Izunazo and Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, had dropped out of the contact committee, leaving only Chief John Odigie-Oyegun in the three-man committee that was initially saddled with the responsibility of wooing PDP senators.
It was learnt that the APC national leader and some influential APC senators, have now joined the bid to woo PDP senators and ensure the opposition party secures a simple majority in the senate.
Specifically targetted are senators from the south south, in what is regarded as an audacious shot at the underbelly of the PDP.
“I can assure you that the APC has commenced a huge plot to hijack the senate from the PDP. It is a serious issue in the opposition party at this time. The PDP played into their hands by dropping a huge majority of its senators. Out of the original 72 senators, the PDP lost 11 to the APC and out of the remaining number, at least 49 has been confirmed as having lost the primaries.”
A source in the APC said that one of the main targets of the APC is senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba (SAN), as well as Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, former speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, who is currently chairman, senate committee on Water Resources. He represents Bayelsa West senatorial district, in the red chamber.
The APC, according to sources said that taking over the majority of the Senate would enhance its chances in the February general election.
But Ndoma-Egba denied that pressure was mounting on him to dump the PDP on Tuesday, insisting that he remains a member of the PDP.
President Goodluck Jonathan had, on Saturday, during a fund raising dinner of the PDP, pleaded with members of the party who lost at the primaries to remain within the party and help it build a solid democratic culture.
Source: Tribune