There are indications that all is not well within the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus of the Senate as the imminent trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu for alleged forgery of Senate Standing Orders has split members along pro-Saraki and pro-presidency lines.

On Thursday, only 15 senators of the APC showed up for a closed door meeting and subsequent press conference called to express support for the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

Leader of the caucus and Majority Leader of the Senate, Sen. Ali Ndume (APC, Borno) and Sen. Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi) were among those conspicuously absent.

Senators Sola Adeyeye and Bala NaÁllah, Chief Whip and Deputy Leader respectively, were however present in addition to key members of the bloc opposed to Saraki, including Kabir Marafa.

Sen. Marafa from Zamfara State had taken the senate leadership to court on the forgery allegation and had remained implacable in spite of several attempts for peace within the Senate.

There are at least 57 senators in the APC caucus but only 15 members mainly of the Senate Unity Forum, were joined by the lone Senator of the Labour Party, Ovie Omo-Agege.

OrderPaper.ng gathered that another cluster of APC senators met clandestinely and drew a battle line between the presidency and the Senate if Saraki and Ekweremadu are arraigned in court next week.

The 15 APC senators in a counter-reaction to their colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), expressed support for the anti-corruption battle of President Buhari, saying it is being prosecuted within the rule of law and not selectively as claimed by the opposition party members.

A prepared text read on behalf on their behalf by Sen. Adeyeye, accused PDP senators of pursuing selfish partisan positions as against the national interest, saying “political interference based on partisan consideration must be eschewed.”

While claiming that PDP members are the beneficiaries of massive looting of the public treasury in the past, Adeyeye said “seeking to recover diverted public funds  is neither dictatorial nor against the rule of law. In  all the actions, programmes and policies of the PMB-led APC Federal Government, no PDP member has been unjustly arrested or imprisoned on mere allegations.”

The statement read in full: “The members of the Joint Caucus of The All Progressive Congress (APC) and Labour Party Senators in the Senate are stoutly behind the policies and programmes of the President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration. Our support is aimed at actualizing the promised desiredchange that Nigerians voted for last year.

“We are shocked at the totally partisan reaction of our colleagues from the  minority party, PDP, to the on-going investigations and recovery of public funds meant for the prosecution of the war against insurgency.

“Contrary to the assertion of our PDP colleagues, the investigation is not a partisan war against a particular political party. It is no longer a news item that there was a wanton diversion of public funds meant for fighting insurgency to fund campaigns of PDP.  Members of the PDP were the sole and iniquitous beneficiaries of this diversion.

“Seeking to recover diverted public funds  is neither dictatorial nor against the rule of law. In  all the actions, programmes and policies of the PMB-led APC Federal Government, no PDP member has been unjustly arrested or imprisoned on mere allegations.

“On the contrary, we are daily regaled with news of millions and billions of naira of public funds traced to accounts of individuals some of whom have accepted to return such diverted public funds.

“As law abiding and patriotic citizens, we  cherish the rule of law and the separation of powers among the different arms of government. Political interference based on partisan consideration must be eschewed.

“Members of the joint caucus of the APC and Labour Party will always give their best in support of the only President Nigeria has. We plead with our PDP colleagues to rise above partisan inclinations so that together, we all can bring to fruition the positive changes that our people seek and deserve.”

OrderPaper.ng reports that PDP senators addressed the press Wednesday and threatened to withdraw support from the Buhari government if the presidency continues with plan to arraign Saraki and Ekweremadu for forgery.

The opposition senators had also accused the administration of targeting the PDP in its anti-corruption battle.