The All Progressives Congress (APC) has recognised Bukola Saraki as duly elected President of the Senate, and will therefore work with him.

Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, both of the APC emerged as leaders of the National Assembly on Tuesday against the directives of the party not to stand for election for the top posts.

The development had thrown the party into confusion with the party leadership vowing not to recognise him as Senate President while some APC senators threatened to challenge Saraki ‘s election in court.

However, the national chairman of APC, John Oyegun, on Friday in Abuja announced the party’s u-turn over the matter, declaring that it was time to face reality and work with the current leadership of the National Assembly while the party tries to resolve the issue internally.

Oyegun was confronted by journalists at the Defence House, Abuja after the APC Transition Committee headed by Ahmed Joda submitted it’s report to President Buhari.

Pointedly asked if the party was now ready to accept Saraki as the Senate President, the party chairman replied: “Of course, he has been duly elected by his colleagues. We have a reality and we must live with it.”

On Saraki’s aborted visit to the APC secretariat the previous day for a reconciliation meeting, Oyegun said “nothing went wrong, there was a lot of consultations and you can’t be in two places at the same time and so it was not comfortable for us.

“But we have been talking. We don’t want to make a song and dance of it, everything being put in proper perspective.”

Responding to question if the crisis was not a precursor to the demise of the party, he declared that “we have faced greater challenges before and this too shall pass away.

“It is not the first or second time we have passed through and we came out strong. This may not even be the last time, we come out every time stronger and more determined.

Asked what next step the party would take on the matter, Oyegun said “there is no next step, what has happened is within the APC family and we are sorting it out within the family.

“People say they are going to court which is their right, but as a party we are looking at everything and we are coming out strong.”