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Tag: Bukola Saraki

  • Senate President alleges threat to life

    Senate President Bukola Saraki is alleging threat to his life and those of his family in Ilorin, Kwara State.

    He accused thugs allegedly sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the police as the brains behind the alleged move to eliminate him and his family.

    Addressing reporters in Abuja yesterday, Saraki  who doubles as  the Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, claimed that on Thursday, APC thugs “shielded by policemen went to my family quarters in Agbaji in Ilorin and vandalized houses, shops and inflicted wounds with matchetes  on three people.”

    He said: ”All these destructions took place in the presence of policemen who came with them but watched without any care, as the APC thugs and supporters unleashed violence on our people.

    “For me, personally, I believe the decision to attack people and properties in my family ancestral compound is a direct affront and attack on my person.

    “And whatever signal these APC elements with support from the police believe they are sending is definitely sinister, uncivilized and unfortunate.”

    The Senate President said the police continued to show undisguised hostility towards him and his supporters in the state.

    The former Kwara State governor said reports of the attacks were filed in relevant police stations in Ilorin, but expressed doubts that anything tangible and constructive would come out of the reports.

    He stated further that as part of the plot, the police, under the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, on Thursday, commenced the transfer of Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) out of Kwara State.

    Saraki called on Nigerians and the entire world to hold the IGP responsible should anything untoward happen to him and members of his family.

    “While the police are free to take decisions on the deployment of their personnel, we found the postings in Kwara State strange and more than a mere coincidence,” he said.

    “It should also be noted that IGP has posted three different Commissioners of Police to Kwara State in the last six months. In fact, the previous and current Commissioner of Police in the state got strict instructions from the IGP not to relate or engage with the Senate President”, Saraki added.

    According to him, the usual practice has been that the Commissioner of Police personally ensures the security of the Senate President whenever he visits his home state.

    He said all his predecessors in office were accorded that security cover whenever they visited their home states and that he also enjoyed it in his first year in office from 2015 to 2016.

    Saraki expressed apprehension over his personal safety as the ward to ward electioneering is about to begin across the state.

    He said: “We need to make it clear to the entire world that now that ward to ward campaign is about to begin in the state and I am set to participate in that grassroots campaign, as I have always done, nobody is sure what instructions Mr. Idris has given to the police command in the state.

    “Thus, the entire world should hold the IGP responsible if anything untoward happens to members of my family and myself”.

  • Saraki and the ghost of Southwest

    OVERWHELMED by the “O to ge”(Enough is Enough) wildfire, the embattled President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, flagged off the PDP campaign in the state by whipping up sentiments against APC. He said a vote for APC would be like excising Kwara  State from the North and integrating it with the Southwest.

    But he spoke without recourse to history because no one has affinity with the Southwest than him. Take a look at his antecedents: His paternal grandmother was from Iseyin in Oyo State; his mother hails from Owo in Ondo State; and his wife is from the famous royal Ojora family in Lagos State. He gave his daughter out to a Prince from Ijebuland in the Southwest with a prospect of being a princess.

    If he catches cold in Kwara State, he seeks relief in his posh mansion in Lagos, which is more of a second home to him. What affinity does Saraki Dynasty have with Abeokuta when it became an issue in the second and third republic? There is no record of the Senate President either fluent in Hausa or Fulfulde. He also does not have any mansion in Kaduna or anywhere else in the North. Let him prove his Northern character.

  • APC thugs, police after my life- Saraki alleges

    Senate President Bukola Saraki has raised the alarm, alleging threat to his safety and that of the members of his immediate family in Ilorin, Kwara State.

    Addressing reporters in Abuja on Friday, Saraki fingered thugs allegedly sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the police as instigators.

    Saraki, who is the Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, described the alleged conspiracy against him by the thugs and the police as sinister, uncivilised and unfortunate.

    He said: “I call you today to bring to your attention the sad development in my home state, Kwara State, and the role of the security agencies in giving cover to people who are unleashing violence on our people because they are surprised and cannot understand how and why the people continue to give massive and overwhelming support to the PDP across the state.

    “Also Yesterday (Thursday), these same APC thugs shielded by policemen went to my family quarters in Agbaji in Ilorin and vandalized houses, shops and inflicted wounds with matchete on three people.

    “All these destructions took place in the presence of policemen who came with them but watched without any care, as the APC thugs and supporters unleashed violence on our people.

    “For me, personally, I believe the decision to attack people and properties in my family ancestral compound is a direct affront and attack on my person.

    “And whatever signals these APC elements with support from the police believe they are sending is definitely sinister, uncivilized and unfortunate”.

    He expressed regrets that the police have continued to show undisguised hostility toward him and his supporters in the state.

    According to him, this latest round of violence was part of efforts to jeopardise and undermine his personal security and that of his immediate and larger family members.

    Narrating his ordeals further, Saraki said: “Three incidents will illustrate what I am saying to you. Yesterday, after the APC concluded their campaigns in Ilorin, some of their supporters and thugs moved around town and in areas like Adewole/Adeta, Ile Otan and Ubandawaki/Pakata where they saw our people gathered holding their weekly ward meetings.

    “They disrupted the meetings by shouting their party slogan and when our people responded by mentioning our own slogan, they fired gunshots into their midst in Adewole/Adeta.

    “They also inflicted matchete cuts on some of them. As a result of this attack, two people suffered bullet wounds”.

    The former Kwara State Governor said reports of the attacks were filed in relevant police stations in Ilorin but expressed doubts that anything tangible and constructive would come out of the reports.

    He stated further that as part of the plot, the police, under the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, had, on Thursday, commenced the transfer of Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) out of Kwara State.

    Saraki called on Nigerians and the entire world to hold the IGP responsible if anything untoward happens to him and members of his family.

    Read Also: 2019: APC needs no violence to win, says Tinubu

    “While the police are free to take decisions on the deployment of their personnel, we found the postings in Kwara State strange and more than a mere coincidence.

    “It should also be noted that IGP has posted three different Commissioners of Police to Kwara State in the last six months.

    “In fact, the previous and current Commissioner of Police in the state got strict instructions from the IGP not to relate or engage with the Senate President,” Saraki added.

    According to him, the usual practice has been that the Commissioner of Police personally ensures the security of the Senate President whenever he visits his home state.

    He said all his predecessors were accorded that security cover whenever they visited their home states and that he also enjoyed it in his first year in office from 2015 to 2016.

    Saraki expressed apprehensions over his personal safety as the ward to ward electioneering campaign is about to begin across the state.

    According to him: “We need to make it clear to the entire world that now that ward to ward campaign is about to begin in the state and I am set to participate in that grassroots campaign, as I have always done, nobody is sure what instructions Mr. Idris has given to the police command in the state.

    “Thus, the entire world should hold the IGP responsible if anything untoward happens to members of my family and myself.”

    Deploring the role of the IGP in the entire plot, Saraki continued, “Do not forget that before now, this same IGP has tried several tricks to implicate me in some criminal charges.

    “First, he arrested some cultists and was about to compel them to claim they worked for me. We exposed the trick early enough and the media also pointed out holes in his story. He quickly withdrew that.

    “Later, he went on to the Offa robbery case and politicised the investigation in order to rope me.

    “In the process of forcing suspects to implicate me, the principal suspect died in their custody.

    “He has also not succeeded with that plot. Who knows what else he may have planned.

    “Now, that full campaign is on, which requires my going round, I want the world to hold him personally responsible if anything happens to me.”

  • Alleged N3.5b fraud: Saraki’s aides get new trial date

    The trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki’s Deputy Chief of Staff Gbenga Makanjuola and two others was stalled at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday due to the judge’s transfer.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned them before Justice Babs Kuewumi on 11-count charge of money laundering.

    They were accused of conspiring to disguise the unlawful origin of N3.5billion paid into the account of Melrose General Services Limited.

    The company was also arraigned, along with its operations manager Obiora Amobi and a cashier in the Senate President’s Office Kolawole Shittu.

    Trial as billed to resume on Thursday before Justice Babs Kuewumi, but the judge said he had been transferred to Sokoto.

    He urged parties to take agree on when to appear before a new judge who will take over from him.

    “I have been transferred to Sokoto and I would not like to start what I can’t conclude. We have to adjourn the matter,” Justice Kuewumi said.

    The prosecution and the defence team agreed to return on March 13 for commencement of trial.

    EFCC, which arraigned the defendants last October 7, said Melrose General Services and Robert Mbonu, said to be at large, between December 14, 2016 and last January “took control” of the money transferred from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) account to Melrose’s Access Bank account numbered 0005892453.

    The commission said they reasonably ought to have known that the money represented proceeds of their unlawful and fraudulent activity.

    Read Also:  2019 election is not about me, says Saraki

    The alleged offence contravenes Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3).

    In count 5 of the charge, Makanjuola was accused of making a cash payment of N50million to Mbonu on December 20, 2016 without going through a financial institution.

    The alleged offence is punishable under Section 1 (a) of the Money Laundering Act and punishable under Section 16 (2) (b).

    They pleaded not guilty.

    EFCC accused the defendants of allegedly converting N3.5billion of N19billion London-Paris Club refund to states.

    EFCC claimed that Melrose General Services, whose alter ego is Mbonu, was never engaged by the NGF for any consultancy services in relation to the Paris and London Club loan refund.

    The commission claimed that the company allegedly recopied and misinterpreted work done by another consortium to the NGF for payment.

    EFCC said Melrose was paid N3.5billion by the NGF on December 14, 2016, and that it moved out about N2.2billion of the N3.5billion, the balance of which the commission had prayed the court to order its forfeiture.

     

     

  • Kwara can’t be part of South West Zone, says Saraki

    Senate President Bukola Saraki says the people of Kwara will resist plans to “ annex’’  the state to the South West Zone using the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidates in the forthcoming general elections.

    Saraki spoke on Tuesday at Bode Saadu, headquarters of Moro Local Government Area,  at the official flag off of the campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “This election is not about me or our governorship candidate, Razak Atunwa. It’s about this state, our tradition. Time will tell about whatever we do today.

    “We go back to PDP because we need a government that will care for our people, give jobs to our people,’’ he said.

    He appealed to the people of the state, particularly the electorate,  to ignore any differences they may have with all the candidates of the party and vote massively for PDP during the general elections.

    Speaking in the same vein, the Director-General of the PDP Campaign Council in Kwara, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, urged the party faithful to vote for PDP.

    According to him, the coming general elections would be between the indigenes of Kwara and non-indigenes.

    “Kwara belongs to the North, we will not allow Kwara to be taken away from us to the West.

    Read Also: Saraki’s aide accuses minister of doctoring tape

    “Our leader is Dr Bukola Saraki, our president is Abubakar Atiku, our incoming governor is Atunwa,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, Gov. Abdufatah Ahmed of Kwara said the flag-off campaign would usher in another PDP government in the state and Nigeria.

    “You can all see hunger, poverty in the last three years of APC government. We want to bring in PDP to change the narrative. We shall usher in PDP government in Nigeria and Kwara,” he said.

    The state chairman of the PDP, Hon. Kola Shittu, said only a PDP government would be beneficial to the people of the state and Nigerians in general.

    ” A PDP government will provide jobs for our youths. Many people have decamped to PDP because of our leader’s sincerity and people-oriented programmes,” he said.

    In his remarks, the PDP governorship candidate, Abdulrazak Atunwa,  promised to run a government that would focus on the welfare of the people.

    “Our government shall provide jobs for the people. Women will also be empowered,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • 2019 election is not about me, says Saraki

    The Senate President Bukola Saraki on Tuesday said the 2019 election in the state is about the preservation of Kwara state culture and tradition.

    He added that the election is not he as the senate president nor the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Senator Saraki added that the people of Kwara state would resist plans by some desperate politicians and their local collaborators to annex the state to the south-west.

    He said Kwara belongs to Kwarans and all efforts by seasonal politicians to hand it over to their Lagos and Abuja paymasters shall be frustrated.

    The Senate President spoke at Bode Saadu, headquarters of Moro local government area, in Kwara north during the official flag off of the campaign of the PDP.

    Saraki added: “This election is not about me or our governorship candidate, Razak Atunwa. It’s about this state, our tradition. Time will tell about whatever we do today. We go back to PDP because we need a government that will care for our people, gives jobs to our people. We should not vote a candidate whose DG said’ he does not care, he does not know.”

    Earlier, Governor Abdufatah Ahmed said: “We are flagging off our campaign to usher in another PDP government. You can all see hunger, poverty in the last three years of APC government. We want to bring in PDP to change the narrative. We shall usher in PDP government in Nigeria and Kwara.

    The state chairman of the PDP, Hon. Kola Shittu said only PDP government will be beneficial to the people of the state and Nigerians in general.

    “PDP government will provide jobs for our youths. Many people have decamped to PDP because of our leaders’ sincerity and welfarism programmes,” he added.

    Read Also: APC cautions supporters against anti-party activities

    In his opening remarks, the Director General of PDP campaign council in the state, Prof Abubakar Sulaiman described APC as a deceitful party which does not mean well for the people of Kwara state.

    He added that: “Kwara election is between the real stakeholders and pretenders and those with territorial expansionist ambition. Kwara belongs to the north and we should not allow them to take the state to the south west. The APC has nothing to offer the state, they only have deception. We should vote for Atiku. Kwara should not vote for ‘ ghosts’ because” we don’t know those paradigm themselves as gubernatorial candidate now. They have never contributed anything to the development of the state “.
    Atunwa promised to run a government of welfarism if elected as the state’s next governor.

    He lamented that “the APC led federal government denied Kwara youths job placements. Our government shall provide jobs for them. Women will be empowered.

  • ‘Buhari will lead Nigeria beyond 2019’

    A renowned cleric, Prophet Christopher Owolabi, on Tuesday, predicted that the tenure of the present administration under President Muhammadu Buhari would extend beyond 2019.

    Owolabi, General Overseer Christ Apostolic Church Ori-Oke, Irapada, Omu-Aran, made the prediction during the Church’s crossover night service tagged: “Seeking for Nigeria’s Democratic Sustenance Beyond 2019” in Omu-Aran, Kwara.

    The cleric told the gathering that the prediction was not borne out of any personal or political interest whatsoever, but God’s divine guidance and direction for the country.

    He also predicted a rapid socio-economic recovery for the country in the New Year, saying the leaders needed the urgent intercession of the citizens through prayers to consolidate on the gains of the government’s anti-corruption fight.

    According to him, “it is based on God’s interest in directing the affairs of the country at this critical period of its history as it is revealed to me”.

    Owolabi said election of leaders in the country presently has gone beyond personalities or individuals but through a divine intervention.

    “No matter any act of political commission or omission, God is the one presently in control and directing the affairs of the country,” he said.

    Read Also: What Buhari said at Uyo rally

    Owolabi, who was known to have made many predictions as regard the nation’s current affairs including the emergence of Sen. Bukola Saraki as the leader of the 8th Senate, urged politicians to play according to the rules.

    He said: “the present leadership in piloting the affairs of this great nation as was revealed to me will extend beyond 2019 and there is going to be a brighter light at the end of the tunnel socially and economically.

    The cleric who decried the incessant killings, kidnappings, armed robbery and backbiting that had pervaded the land, urged Nigerians to learn from their past mistakes, misdeeds and shortcoming by embracing righteousness in the New Year.

    Owolabi also used the opportunity to advise government to urgently formulate a clear cut policy toward stemming the negative trend associated with social media platforms, especially as it concerned the youthful age bracket.

    “It is very glaring that the country is dangerously heading to a halt as far as hate speech, intolerance, religious and ethnic bigotry being perpetrated through social media platform are concerned.

    “Such needs to be treated by government as a matter of urgent national importance to move the country forward,” he said.

    He urged religious leaders, traditional rulers and parents in the country to use their preachings, counseling and parental advice in ensuring a reliable and productive future for the youths whom are regarded as the leaders of tomorrow.

    “The future of our nation depends largely on the readiness and preparedness of our teeming youths in terms of quality educational background, information and technological advancement in taking over the mantle of leadership.

    “This to me should be the major preoccupation of our religious leaders, traditional rulers and parents alike,” he said.

  • Saraki to Nigerians: Emulate late Shagari’s democratic ideals

    SENATE President Abubakar Bukola Saraki has urged Nigerians to learn from the sense of humour, wisdom and patriotism of late former President Shehu Shagari.

    According to Saraki” he was a true and reliable Democrat. If we hold on to that, our democracy will be more strong and promising. He stood for the development of Nigeria as a nation.

    Saraki who visited the family of the former President Monday afternoon to condole with them on the demise of Shagari whom he regarded a father and close associate of his late father, described the death as a great loss to Nigeria.

    He said Shagari lived a worthy and trusted life for the development of the country.

    ” He lived a humble life to the fullest with exemplary sense of commitment and dedication to service”, he pointed out.”

    Saraki was in company of the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, Sen. Sani Yariman Bakura, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, Ataahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa among others led by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

    Also condoling the family, Governor Muhammed Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi state who prayed for the repose of the soul of Shagari, described him as a rare patriot who made sacrifices to nation building with zeal and commitment.

    ” He was impeccably a true leader and hub for national unity. He lived a simple and dependable life as a nationalist.”

    Similarly, the National leader of Izalatul Bi’a Wa Iqamatus Sunnah of the JNI, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau in company of Sheikhs Muhammadu Kabiru Haruna Gombe, Abubakar Giro Argungu, condoled the family and prayed Allah grant the soul of Shagari Jannatul Firdaus.

  • APC, Saraki trade blame over IEDPU event’s disruption

    Senate President Bukola Saraki and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Kwara Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq have blamed each other for the abrupt end of the annual convention of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressives Union (IEDPU) on Christmas day.

    Political urchins disrupted IEDPU 53rd annual conference.

    The event which was being held at the Emir of Ilorin Palace forecourt had been going on smoothly until the launching of the 2019 calendar of the union which was opened by Alhaji Fatai Ishola Ajidagba, Chairman of Ifelodun LCDA, Lagos state who donated N5 million at the occasion.

    It then came to the turn of Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in the state who was called to launch the Almanac but some groups who dressed in the same uniform (Aso Ebi) were shouting to prevent him from speaking while his supporters were shouting his slogan “O to ge”(Enough is enough)  to counter the opposing side.

    The incident forced the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu- Gambari to leave the venue of the event in anger when the crowd became uncontrollable.

    When the APC governorship candidate was called to the podium to announce his donation,  he made an attempt to echo the slogan of his campaign organization.

    AbdulRahman was however shouted down by people believed to be supporters of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, who countered him by sporadic shouting of “Sai leader, Sai Bukki, Atunwa 1”.

    All attempt by the organizers to restore normalcy and continued the programme proved abortive.

    The security guards did a yeoman’s job before the Emir could be ferried out of venue of the event.

    The highly disappointed IEDPU National Executive Council members led by  their National President, Amb Usman AbdulAziz later went into the palace to apologize to the Emir.

    The IEDPU’s calendar, a major source of revenue generation for the union could not be launched because of the unfortunate development.

    Amb. Abdulaziz warned politicians against turning the state to a battle ground with their behavior and utterances.

    He said that politics should foster peace and and co-existence among the people stated that it should not be used to promote ethnic or religion sentiments and other negative tendencies in the society.

    He said “politics should not be reduced to unnecessary bickering, unproductive name calling, mischievous allegations, callous comments, character assassination, hate speeches, encouragement of chaos, and whipping up religious or ethnic sentiments among other negative strategies which politicians exploit and explore to win the sympathy of gullible voters.

    “Our take on 2019 elections is very simple. Ilorin should not be turned to a battle ground by political gladiators.”

    Reacting to the incident, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s media team said that “the development at the IEDPU programme where some touts and street urchins shouting ‘Sai Bukky’ disrupted a community event is disappointing, embarrassing and antithetical to good moral and ethics for which Ilorin community is known.

    “Apart from reminding everyone of the desperation for which the evil status quo in Kwara is known, the sad event clearly points at the extent to which the parasitic gangs will go in the coming months to continue to keep Kwara and its people down.

    “The disruption of the event just when the Kwara APC governorship candidate AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was about to give his speech exposed the shenanigans of the urchins and their paymasters whose uninspiring radio programme earlier in the day has drawn the scorn and condemnation of every Kwaran home and abroad. The disruption was probably a damage control for their insulting radio programme.

    “The intention was to damage the good image of the APC candidate and slow down the tsunami that is already consuming their unproductive political fiefdom in Kwara. But they clearly failed in their evil plot as their thugs — similar to what they did in Offa where their ankara wears betrayed their allegiance — were too crude to conceal the fact that they were on an errand to attack AbdulRazaq and make it look like the fine gentleman was going about with thugs.

    “Like a cobra fighting for its life, everybody knows that they have since lost the battle of ideas and are unabashedly desperate to wrestle in the mud to survive. It is too late. The people of Kwara are saying ‘Otoge’ – enough is enough.

    “We will not wrestle with the pigs. We won’t fall for their gutter politics. We are for decent debate, even as we mobilise the people of Kwara to end the years of tyranny and corruption.

    “Regardless, we wish to state that we are bonafide of not just Ilorin Emirates but Kwara State and we won’t watch while some political merchants who have no real stake in Kwara deploy their sidekicks and thugs to unleash violence on our people. We will ensure that the characters who disrupted the IEDPU event for political reasons are arrested and made to face the full weight of the law. We call on the police and other security agencies to be alive to their constitutional duties and bring those characters to book.

    “The development is a red flag and should be nipped in the bud. We believe our security agencies are competent enough to ensure that people who don’t conform to basic ethics of proper behaviour in public space are made to account for their deeds.”

    Media Aide to Saraki, Abdullahi Olesin said “Saraki was not the cause of the disruption because he was not present at the convention but for people to act that way when he was not there indicated how popular he is among his people.

    “What happened at d IEDPU convention today showed how much d people of d state love Saraki. It was a clear signal to d opposition that Kwara remains d stronghold of Saraki. Those who rose in stout defence Saraki are not politicians but ordinary citizens who appreciate the purposeful leadership that Saraki was rendering.”

     

     

     

     

  • Saraki, Mark urges Christians to pray for successful elections

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, former Senate President, Senator David Mark, on Monday felicitated with Christian faithful and all Nigerians as they celebrate the Christmas and New Year festivities.

    Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, congratulated Nigerians for their resilience in the face of the challenges facing the nation and urged them to pray for improvement in the social, political and economic condition of the country, in the New Year.

    Mark on his own once again harped on the need for peaceful coexistence between and among Nigerians irrespective of ethic or religious leanings.

    Saraki urged Nigerians to make it part of their New Year resolution that they will play their constitutional roles to ensure that the country has a peaceful, credible, free and transparent elections in February and March 2019.

    He said that Nigerians should also pray that the results of the elections will lead to rapid socio-political and economic development of Nigeria.

    Saraki said, “I wish all Nigerians a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. I want to call on Christians, in particular, and Nigerians, in general, to emulate the virtues of Christ, who through self-sacrifice brought salvation to humanity.

    “This is a time for us to be our brother’s keeper, extend our generosity to one another and ensure that the less-privileged among us are not left out of the ensuing merriments.”

    He added that the upcoming election is another opportunity to lay a new foundation for the growth and prosperity of the nation and to banish poverty from the land.

    While praying for journey mercies for as many Nigerians that would travel during the period, he urged the police and other security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities and ensure that the lives and property of Nigerians are fully secured at all times.

    “The security agencies must of necessity redouble their efforts to ensure that the Christmas and New Year celebrations are observed peacefully across the country,” Saraki stated.

    In his goodwill message to Nigerians commemorating this year’s Christmas celebration, Senator Mark urged citizens to be guided by the lessons of the Christmas season which is anchored on love, forgiveness and peaceful coexistence.

    Senator Mark canvassed for religious tolerance amongst various adherents saying “We must as a people strive to imbibe the culture of mutual respect, trust and unity as the antidote to the myriads of problems facing the nation”.

    He implored citizens to shun those mundane issues such as ethnicity or religious discriminations that tends to threaten the peace and unity of the country.

    Senator Mark pointed that only those who have ulterior motives would exploit or resort to the emotional fault lines of ethnicity and religious differences in order to gain what they could not ordinarily achieved under normal circumstances.

    He also stressed the need for authorities to review the nation’s security arrangement for an improved performance saying that the unabating security situation in the country unarguably calls for self examination .

    Senator Mark was of the opinion that government and security operatives needs to do more to restore hope and confidence amongst the citizens that they can be protected in any part of the country.

    To this end, he urged that all hands should be on deck to preserve and protect the corporate existence of Nigeria, pointing out that no matter the situation “ We have no other country to call our home other than Nigeria”.

    Even as the 2019 election campaigns gathers momentum , he implored Politicians to play according to the rules of the game as the only way to sustain our democracy.

    Senator Mark cautioned against campaign of calumny saying that only issue based campaign would convince the electorate ahead of the polls.

    Also the Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Solomon Adeola, urged Christians in particular and Nigerians in general to use the occasion of the Christmas celebration to renew their faith in Jesus Christ and pray for a peaceful and rancor free 2019 General Elections in a few weeks time.

    In a Christmas message to felicitates with his constituents and Nigeria Christendom at the occasion of 2018 Christmas, Senator Adeola said Christmas symbolizes the celebration of the birth of a new dawn for the salvation of souls for all humanity especially for the Christians and should therefore not be used for only merry-making.

    Read Also: Buhari greets Nigerians at Christmas

    Adeola noted that this year’s celebration coming weeks to a crucial election is another opportunity for fervent prayers for a new dawn and prosperous future for individuals and the Nigeria nation.

    While acknowledging that Nigerians in general are going through a difficult gestation period for sustained economic growth that is mercifully not compounded by the usual fuel scarcity as witnessed in time past during Yuletide, the senator urged all Nigerians to be patient and look forward to a better future.

    The Lagos West senator added that “with abiding faith in Jesus Christ all our challenges will be a thing of the past as we move to next level of our development.”