PDP Senators are scrambling to replace Bukola Saraki as Senate President of Nigeria- if he is convicted of fraud by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, the Nation reports.

The party hopes to capitulate on the disparity amongst APC senators to seize the seat, reports say.

 Members of the party may eventually have to nominate a senator to succeed Saraki as the Senate President when the need arises.

The Nation says that currently, the party’s caucus is having a choice to make between returning former Senate President David Mark to the seat or backing Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu for the plum job.

Observers say Ekweremadu’s camp is hoping to leverage on the number of senators from the South-East to sway the PDP caucus to adopt Ekweremadu, who is also believed to enjoy sizable support among some APC senators in Saraki’s camp.

But another group within the PDP would rather have Mark returned as the Senate President. The group is citing the Benue Senator’s performance as a stabilising factor while he was in charge of the National Assembly as one major reason why he should succeed Saraki.

The current zoning arrangement, according to some Senators, also favors the return of Mark. “There is no need to alter the current zoning arrangement so as to avoid crises. Saraki is from the North-Central and Mark is from the same zone. So, the safest thing to do is to support Mark for the job. His pedigree as a performer will also win us votes across party lines,” someone familiar with the matter said.