BUHARI MEET WITH DAVID MARK, OTHERS

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday
engaged in a series of meetings with some
former leaders of the National Assembly at
the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Some of those who met with the President
behind closed doors were two former
Presidents of the Senate, David Mark and
Ken Nnamani as well as a former Speaker of
the House of Representatives, Aminu Masari.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President
on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita
Enang, who is a former Senator was also at
the Presidential Villa.
Nnamani and Masari arrived for the meeting
at the same time while Mark and Enang
arrived a few minutes later.
It was not clear if the four of them met with
the President at the same time or they met
with him separately the way they came.
Nnamani and Masari apparently avoided
State House correspondents as they were
said to have been driven out of the
President’s office through the Service Chiefs’
Gate after the meeting.
Mark who left after spending about 40
minutes in the President’s office also did not
talk to reporters.
The agenda of the meetings was not made
public.
As of the time of filing this report, no
statement had been issued on the meetings.
Monday was the first time Mark who belongs
to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party
would be sighted inside the Presidential Villa
since the inception of the present
administration.
He was reported to have played a key role in
dousing the tension said to have been
generated during the executive session of the
Senate last week when some lawmakers
reportedly asked for the commencement of
impeachment process against the President.
Unconfirmed reports said the meetings of the
former presiding officers of the National
Assembly with the President were not
unconnected with moves to end the current
animosity between the Executive and
Legislature.
There has been a face-off between the two
arms of government since court cases were
instituted against the President of the Senate,
Bukola Saraki.
Saraki is currently standing trial before the
Code of Conduct Tribunal for alleged false
declaration of assets.
Lately, he and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu,
were also dragged to court for alleged
forgery of the Senate Standing Rule.