Nigeria’s Senate President Bukola Saraki has reportedly struck a deal with senators of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop his impeachment.

Concise News reports that since the nation’s number three citizen defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in July, he has been under pressure to resign.

The APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, had insisted that the Senate President would be removed “according to the law and democratic norms”.

However, when the Nigerian Senate reconvened from its over 10-week recess on Tuesday it was expected that there would be a rowdy session but they had a closed-door meeting where a peace accord was struck, TheCable reports.

While it is believed that the lawmakers of the upper legislative chamber agreed to put aside their differences and opt for peace rather than removing Saraki from office, insiders in the Senate, however, told TheCable on Friday that conditions were given to the Senate President by the APC senators.

The sources said Saraki was asked to ensure the confirmation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominees and passage of pending bills sent by the executive.

“After the adjournment, he started moving round senators to seek their support but they gave him (Saraki) conditions to make sure all outstanding bills are passed as sent by President Muhammadu Buhari and to confirm pending nominees,” the source said.

“You will note that the INEC budget was passed as originally sent despite adjustment by the committee.”

Though the ruling party had yet to issue a statement regarding the development in the Senate, comments made by the Senate Majority Leader Ahmed Lawan on Friday, is, however, tilting towards this report.

The Majority Leader had told reporters that members decided to attend to urgent national issues after the resumption when asked about Saraki’s impeachment.

Speaking after observing the Juma’at prayers at the Aso Rock mosque, Lawan said: “The national assembly will continue to remain focused on national issues. We must be patriotic, we must be nationalistic and we must put the national interest above individual and parochial or partisan interest,” he said.

“We definitely had to bury our hatchets for us to work for Nigeria and Nigerians therefore perhaps that might have informed the disappointment of many people that there is no crisis in the national assembly.”

The Senate returned from its recess on Tuesday, the electoral act amendment bill has passed second reading – just within two days.

On Wednesday, the chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Suleiman Nazif, said all the issues President Buhari raised were considered.

Concise News reports that the third reading of the bill is slated for Tuesday. The bill generated a heated debate among Nigerians after it was rejected by Buhari thrice.

Similarly, on Thursday, the red legislative chamber confirmed twenty-two commissioners for the National Population Commission (NPC) and Folashodun Shonubi, a deputy governor nominee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The Senate, however, rejected Abdul Malik Mohammed Durnnguwa, a commissioner-nominee for the National Population Commission (NPC).

Giving a reason why Durnnguwa was not cleared, the Senate on Thursday explained that Durnnguwa’s West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate was questionable.

According to Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, “ Dr Abdul Malik Mohammed Durnnguwa’s nomination was stood down due to questionable certificates.”