Senate President Bukola Saraki has explained to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) why he could not grant the request to appoint the party's choices for the principal positions in the Senate, saying his hands were tied.

Saraki said that he could not act on the party’s directive because another caucus of the party in the upper legislative chamber had earlier met and selected their choices for the positions.

Saraki would have loved to toe the party’s line, but the circumstances surrounding it "were beyond my power."

His defence was contained in the letter he wrote the party: “The said letter was received after various APC zonal caucuses had taken the decisions to nominate candidates as principal officers of the Senate in line with parliamentary conventions and the extant provisions of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 as amended (Chapter V1, Rules 28, 29, & 31refers). This was followed up to the prior APC Senate Caucus meeting held on 23rd June, 2015.”

“Accordingly, the letters transmitting the decision of the APC Senate Caucuses do not conform to the recommendations as contained in your letter under reference. (Please see annextures 1,2 and 3 attached herewith.)

 “Furthermore, while one is strongly persuaded to toe the party line and act in accordance with the suggested party position, regrettably, clear provisions of our extant rules and standard parliamentary convention have not given one that leeway to act otherwise.

 “Therefore, my hands are tied in the circumstances and I seek your understanding,'' he wrote in the letter.