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Tag: Bukola Saraki

  • Baru not funding alleged impeachment plot against Saraki – NNPC 

    The Management of  Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), on Sunday said its Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru, was not funding any plot to impeach the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki.

    Mr Ndu Ughamadu, NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, said in a statement in Abuja that the Corporation was not party to the ongoing political struggle in the National Assembly.

    Ughamadu said the trending reports in some section of the media insinuating that Baru had doled out funds to effect the impeachment of Saraki were false.

    He described the report as ”the handiwork of mischief makers seeking to drag NNPC and Baru into a purely political affair totally different from its mandate as the national oil company with fiduciary responsibilities to the government and people’’ of Nigeria.

    ”The report is not only false but also an affront on the verifiable reforms in the operations of the corporation under the remit of Dr Baru.’’

    He said the reforms had “witnessed irreversible strides in the area of transparency leading to the sustained publication of NNPC monthly operations and financial records.

    ”The allegations are mere fiction and outright tales by moonlight for anybody to insinuate that Dr Baru or anybody else could just take a dip into the Corporation’s till and dole out the volume of funds being portrayed in that phantom report for political purpose.’’

    Ughamadu  called on all well-meaning members of the public and oil and gas industry stakeholders to discountenance the story.

    He said that the Management of NNPC remained  committed to its statutory role and responsibility to the entire federation.

    Saraki, on July 31 decamped from the ruling All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party and the Senate promptly adjourned plenary until Sept. 25.

    Allegations that Baru was involved and funding an alleged impeachment plot against Saraki have been rife.

  • Saraki’s continued stay as Senate President is constitutional – Makarfi 

    One of the Presidential Aspirants in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP),  Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi has called on all those crucifying the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to leave him alone as his continued stay as Senate President irrespective of his party affiliation is lawful, constitutional and democratic.

    He said that Senator Bukola Saraki, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Yakubu Dogara were elected based on the provision of the constitution and not party based.

    Read Also:Offa robbery: Court orders service of summons on Saraki

    Speaking to newsmen during his visit to the PDP Secretariat in Minna on Saturday, Markafi told those who have been calling on Saraki and Dogara to vacate their seats to leave them alone.

    “The position of the presiding officers of the National Assembly, based on the constitution of Nigeria is an election of one among equals based on voting irrespective of party affliction. The constitution said that the Senators are to elect among themselves, it did not say that it must be from a majority party.

    “Positions tied to party affliction are the positions like majority and minority leaders and Chief Whips along with their deputies. Therefore Senator Bukola Saraki, Ike Ekweremadu and Dogara should be left alone because they are elected based on provision of the constitution and their continuing stay irrespective of the party they belong to is constitutional, it is lawful and it is democratic. ”

    Speaking further, the Presidential hopeful who expressed his delight over the recent defection to PDP said that, “We are still expecting more” but noted that the party would need to manage the defections well to ensure that there would be no fall out.

    He then said that all members of the PDP should be ready to make sacrifices for the peace and unity of the party.

  • 2019: Defections won’t stop Buhari’s victory – Tony Momoh

    A former Minister of Information, Chief Tony Momoh, on Friday said the exit of some bigwigs from the All Progressives Congress (APC) would not stop President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election in 2019.

    Momoh, also an APC chieftain, expressed the view in a telephone interview our reporter in Lagos.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Sen. Dino Melaye , Sen. Bernabas Gemade were some members of National Assembly that dumped the APC for the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in recent days.

    Read Also:Buhari ‘not bothered’ about defections in APC

    Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue and Gov. Abdul Fatah Ahmed of Kwara had also left with many of their state houses of assembly members to the PDP.

    The Publicity Secretary of APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who is political godson of Saraki had also left the party for PDP.

    Momoh said while the defectors might get substantial votes for their new party in their respective areas, Buhari would still win in their domains.

    The former minister said Buhari got more votes than most of the defectors in their respective zones and states, and the same thing would happen in the next election.

    He said that the president had done well as a leader, and Nigerians would show appreciation and re-elect him.

    “I do not think the defection would stop the President from winning in the next election.

    “I will not say that it will not affect the votes of the president; votes are about people, and now that some people have left, it will have some impact.

    “But I do not think that the impact will be such that it would stop the president from winning.

    “Come to think, the president got more votes more than the defectors in their senatorial zones and states mostly in the North in 2015.

    “Overall he got 15million votes in the election. Now that he is president who has performed well, he will get more votes mostly in the South-South and South-East.

    “He has delivered great projects in these two regions which did not really vote for him in 2018.

    “The votes the president will get in these regions will make up much more for the very few votes he might lose to defections in the North,” he said.

    Momoh said APC should not lose sleep over the defection, as Buhari would record his biggest win ever in 2019.

    The former minister said the president had not disappointed Nigerians on the three-pronged promises of security, corruption and economy on which he campaigned.

    He said the second term of the president would enable him to consolidate on his present achievements.

  • Realignments for survival, relevance in 2019

    The spate of defections, mostly from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), reached a crescendo on Tuesday when Senate President Bukola Saraki and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, two senators, six members of the House of Representatives and 22 of the 23 House of Assembly members dumped the ruling party. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI, Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN and MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE sought the views of some observers and politicians about the development.

    The much-expected defection of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his political associates in Kwara State from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came to pass on Tuesday. He was accompanied by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, two senators, six members of the House of Representatives and 22 out of the 23 House of Assembly members.

    Politicians lawyers and right activists who spoke to The Nation said the body language of the affected politicians had long indicated that they were bound to leave the party before next year’s general elections. But, the likely impact on the election, they say, would become discernible with the passage of time, as other variables come into play.

    Former Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja branch, Mr. Monday Ubani said Saraki’s resignation from the ruling party does not come as a surprise, because it had become obvious a long time ago that he was on his way out of the party, adding that it is a good development that he has eventually made his final move. Ubani described Saraki as a calculating politician who must have done his homework before taking the final move.

    He said: “My people in Igboland say when a snake is inside a hole, one may not be able to assess its height and weight until it comes out fully. At the moment, many things are still hazy; we may not be able to say accurately the impact this development will have on next year’s general elections, but we can hazard a guess. If the APC eventually loses the majority in the Senate, it is going to be a bit turbulent for the party, particularly the dealings of the Executive with the upper chamber; it would become a bit more contentious.

    “But knowing the way Saraki operates, he would not have made this move, if he was not sure that the PDP will become the majority in the house. So, before making this final move, he must have secured arrangements to ensure that the PDP becomes the majority; to make his continued stay as the Senate President would be secure.

    “He would now ensure that he comes back in 2019 to become the Senate President once again. One, he must be sure that his new political party will win the majority in Senate and he would be sure of his own re-election on that platform, so that he can retain the presidency of the Senate.

    “The point is, he must be sure of his political existence and relevance before making the move. The recent of defections is about the political survival of the individual politicians; they are all looking for a breath of live. Where there is no breath of live, they will move on.”

    Second Republic politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, also said the development was expected. He said: “Saraki has virtually been out of the APC for a long time. All his supporters have already left the party, so everybody has been waiting for him to make this move. His supporters that won elections during the recent APC primaries in Kwara State have been sacked and a caretaker committee appointed to take their place, so the move was expected.

    “Besides, given the persecutions that followed his emergence as Senate President, it is not surprising that he opted out of the party.”

    Yakassai the recent spate of defections is likely to affect the overall number of votes that would be cast for the ruling party next year, “if the election is going to be free and fair”. He added: “What I do not know is whether Buhari and his supporters would behave the way former President Goodluck Jonathan and his supporters behaved, in the event that they lose the election.”

    A chieftain of the PDP in the Southwest, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, said the PDP is Saraki’s home and “we are glad that he is back to the fold”. His words: “Like any other Nigerian, hunted by his own party, will you feel happy staying in that same party? If the future of our nation is at stake, the way it is, will you want to stay behind? Will you want to stay with those that destroy the very fabric of our unity? I want to say that Saraki did the natural thing to do, running away from enemies and embracing friendship. The PDP is Saraki’s home and we are glad that he is back to the fold.

    “His coming will enhance the fortune of the PDP because Saraki has become a franchise in Nigeria. You cannot ignore his presence. He was a two-term governor and the number three citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The future will depend on what he does and what he does not do. We welcome him back to our party and we are glad our son is back home.”

    Former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, who is also a chieftain of the PDP, said it is a beautiful piece of news that Saraki has left the APC. His words: “It’s a very beautiful news to hear that Saraki has left the APC. I am happy about it, when he was with us in the PDP, he was very good. He was upright and when he left I was one of those who missed him. For us, it is something good that he is back to the PDP with Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State.

    “He is a very competent fellow; I am very delighted they are back to the good people where they naturally belong.  We are going to win next year election and they have added to our chances of winning. That is why I support wholeheartedly the request by the National Working Coming of the PDP to change its name from the PDP. With that new name by the grace of God, we will go with our allied to win next year’s election.”

    A senior lawyer, Chief Niyi Akintola, has ruled out Saraki’s  exit affecting the performance of APC in the 2019 general elections.

    Akintola said the impact of Saraki’s defection would not be felt beyond Kwara State. Certainly his exit will not affect APC victory in 2019, he stressed.

    He said while Saraki has the right to leave and join any political party of his choice, he should resign as Senate president. The legal luminary said: “The honour and dignity demand that he should step down as Senate president. Unfortunately, honour and dignity are in short supply by the Nigerian politicians.

    “The legal implications of his defection can only be decided by the court. But speaking as a concerned citizen, I think Saraki should not wait for anybody to tell him that he should leave the office of Senate President honourably.”

    The APC spokesman in Lagos State, Mr Joe Igbokwe, was very blunt in his comment. He said: “Thank God that Saraki the greatest traitor has finally gone; he is gone into political oblivion. I have not forgotten the night of long knife that threw him up as Senate president. After more than three years of disaster foretold, the Judas is out for good.”

    To Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, the exit of Saraki was not unexpected; we saw it coming. Members of the new Peoples Democratic Party and the Reformed APC had given us an indication that their departure would be in phases.

    Mamora said the utterances of Governor Ahmed and Kawu Baraje in recent time suggested that it was a matter of time that they would leave APC. The masquerade has been unmasked, no one is left in doubt, the plan has been actualised, he added.

     

  • Uneasy calm at NASS over defection saga

    The alleged threat of breaking into the Senate chamber by some senators as claimed by the caucus of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives failed to materialize yesterday.

    The Deputy Minority leader of the House, Chkukwuka Onyema, with about 10 members at a press briefing on Wednesday evening vowed to keep vigil on the Senate chamber to prevent the senators from forceful entrance into the chamber with a view of snatching the mace.

    According to Onyema, the snatching of the mace was to be followed by reconvene of the senate that will eventually lead the impeachment of Senate President Bukola Saraki, who recently decamped from the All Progressives Congress (APC)

    On Wednesday evening, Onyema said: “The aim of their invasion while other senators are on recess is to come and sit illegally when everybody is on recess to impeach the senate president.

    “We also have it on good authority that they are planning to come back this night and tomorrow morning aided by security forces; our own security forces whose job is to protect the lives of Nigerians.

    “They are the ones leading these dissident senators to come and truncate our democracy. We might think they want to take over the senate; that’s not what they want to do.

    Read Also: NASS approves N45b for ex- Nigeria Airways workers

    “They want to truncate this democracy of ours. But we the PDP caucus have decided to stay here to keep vigil and wait to s what’s going to happen tonight and tomorrow night”.

    “We also have some information that some policemen have arrived. We want to find out what they are doing here,” he added. However, the situation at the National Assembly and the lobby of the White yesterday did not suggest any plan to cause a breakdown of law and order within the complex.

    Workers were seen going about their duties without apprehension while a detachment of a   mobile police force said to have been an accomplice of the senators was nowhere to be seen.

    The caucus members that also vowed to keep vigil over the senate chamber could not be seen around the lobby of the White House till the time of compilation of this report.

    When The Nation put a call through to the Deputy Minority Leader Onyema to shed light on the latest development on the night vigil, he replied saying, he was unavailable for the moment, “I am sorry my brother, as you can hear noises from the background, I have some people with me. We are into a very serious discussion. But you can call me back later when I am done with the meeting”.

    Calls to other members of the causes were also not returned.

  • Excitement as Saraki, Tambuwal, Ortom, Kwankwaso, others attend PDP NEC

    There was excitement on Thursday at the Abuja national secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), as the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki attended the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

    It was the first NEC meeting Saraki would be attending since his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP last Tuesday.

    Also in attendance were the Governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Samuel Ortom of Sokoto and Benue States respectively. Similarly, former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Senator Barnabas Gemade who returned to the PDP last week, also attended the meeting.

    Speaking at the opening session of the meeting, Saraki attributed events of the past week to the “mercy of God”, saying that it was beyond human wisdom.

    Saraki said, “Anybody that believed this could happen based on the wisdom of just human beings does not know or is not being realistic. It is by the mercy of almighty God that this has happened.

    “So, today, as we thank the Almighty God for allowing us to be alive to witness this, for allowing those that are able to be here today, those of my colleges who had a long journey, tough journey, tortuous journey to be here, those on the side of PDP who made it possible for it to happen, it was because of the intervention of the almighty God.

    “We will have a day for speeches; we will have a day to say many things. But for me, I am happy to be back to the political party where I started my political journey. For me, I am back.

    “I am happy to see some of my colleagues here who have given me faith in this country, who have made me believe there are still men of character, that there are still men who are still ready to make sacrifices for this country”.

    The Senate President explained that his defection was a sacrifice he had to make, saying he did it for the sake of the country.

    Continuing, Saraki said, “This sacrifice that we are all making, is just the first part because we are doing this for Nigerians and that exercise will not be complete until we make a better country for our people.

    “So, I want to appeal to all of us, all of you who are here, to please receive us from the bottom of your hearts not only here but down to our local government and wards, many people who will join.

    “Because what we are learning in the history of politics is that everybody is important, everybody is important in this journey we are embarking on and no sacrifice is too much for us to make to reach that promised land.

    “It is only when we reach that promised land that this sacrifice we are making comes good, when we see a better tomorrow for our people. Because it is easier here in Abuja.

    Read Also: APC to Saraki: resign now

    “But when we get back to our constituencies, please, let us continue to open our arms and receive the numbers that will give us victory come February 2019 because it is for a better tomorrow for the lot of Nigerian people.

    “Once again, on behalf of all of us that just joined this party, those who we have met, we are so happy to be back here. And I assure you on behalf of all of us that we will work tirelessly and courageously to do what is right to put this country in the right place where it should be and we will not stop.

    “I offer myself to ensure I continue to play my part, to continue to ensure that we defend our democratic principles in this country, we provide security and good leadership and good governance for everybody. But that is only possible if we are all united because not any one man or two or three can do it alone.

    “The message that I will like to leave here with is a message of let us all work together so that these sacrifices will really be worth it in the interest of our people”.

    Speaking earlier, the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus assured Saraki and others who defected to the party recently that their efforts would not be in vain.

    Describing Saraki as key in the renewed struggle to “free” Nigeria, Secondus commended the defectors, saying history would be fair to them.

    Said he, “The bold steps you took to return to the party where you truly belong, is a sacrifice not for yourself but for Nigeria and history will be fair to you.

    “Today is the beginning of the great journey to freedom, the great journey to free our people and rescue this country from the damage done to it by the APC in the last three years”.

    The party chairman expressed regrets that agencies of government established to protect the people have been deployed by the government to assault institutions of democracy.

    Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku also expressed dismay over the recent killings in some parts of the state, saying that situation in the county has continued to deteriorate and that Nigerians are worse off today.

    Ishaku said, “It’s time Nigeria is free or move 100 years backward. Defectors to the PDP saw tomorrow and they decided to change the situation.

    “Some of us wake up crying every other day because you see pictures of your people being killed in their homes because they don’t have AK-47 rifles. I cry more than I celebrate.

    “We must change this government because with the defectors, the PDP will do better for Nigerians. Corruption is not about stealing money alone. Killings, nepotism and allowing killers to go free are also corruption”.

    Governor Ortom on his part said he left the APC worse that he joined the party in 2014, stressing that he lost everything he brought into the APC.

    Others at the meeting include the governors of Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

    Also at the meeting were past party chairmen, past and serving members of the National Assembly and others.

     

  • Scores of youths hail Saraki’s defection to PDP

    Scores of Senate President Bukola Saraki’s supporters and youths on Thursday held solidarity rally in his honour in Ilorin, the Kwara capital.

    The supporters hailed his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    They insisted that Saraki would always win any election in the state notwithstanding the political platform he chooses to use.

    “In Kwara, Saraki is our political party and we shall always vote for his party and candidates”, spokesman for the youths, Yakub Haruna

    Kannike told newsmen at the entrance gate of the Government House where the over three hours peaceful rally terminated.

    Kannike added: “He (Saraki) has been tested and trusted by the good people of our dear Kwara state. In fact, he does not need to be in any political party to win elections in the state. The people of the state have said it in many fora that our political party in Kwara is “Saraki”.

    “The simple interpretation of the above is that the people of the state are always ready to vote for any party that our leader belongs to, at any point in time. There are so many instances to buttress this assertion.

    Read Also: Saraki’s defection won’t affect APC’s fortunes in 2019’

    “The 2015 election is still very fresh in our memory. Since 2003 when he was elected the governor of the state, Saraki had been provided a purposeful leadership for the people of Kwara state.”

    The processors challenged Saraki’s opponents on the need to show more commitments to the well-being of people of the state, saying it is not vote-catching to be seasonal politicians.

    Said he: “If we may ask, where are the political opponents of the Senate President when he was and still attending to the needs of the good people of Kwara state? Those antagonizing Saraki to selfish interest are all seasonal and absentee politicians with no record of assisting their communities not to talk of the entire state.

    “They always come around few months to election period to get patronage from their sponsors and attempt to deceive the electorate.

    But thank God, the Kwara electorates are very wise and had always rejected them whenever they came around.

    “We are therefore using this forum to sensitize the people of the state to the antics of opposition elements and political spent forces who are jittery over Saraki’s defection to the PDP.

    “They do not have anything to offer you as they will soon desert you as soon as they loose the 2019 general elections. Saraki is our God chosen leader who is always around to share in our happiness and grief. He deserves our support and we shall never cease supporting him.”

  • PDP Reps to keep vigilance on NASS to prevent Saraki’s impeachment

    Following the formal defection of the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki from the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the caucus of PDP in the House of Representatives has vowed to resist the impeachment plot against him.

    The caucus said it is currently keeping vigilance over the Senate Chamber to prevent it being forcefully accessed by APC Senators.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed an alleged plot to impeach Saraki by some APC senators said to have perfected plans to force their ways into the chamber with the connivance of security agencies.

    The National Assembly is currently on a two-month annual recess.

    The Deputy Minority Leader of the House Chukwuka Onyema briefed reporters at the National Assembly yesterday evening where he said PDP lawmakers in the House would scuttle the plot by watching over the National Assembly.

    Read Also: Saraki, Senators, Reps’ defection immature – Cleric

    Onyema, who was flanked by about 10 members alleged senators, Abdullahi Adamu, Ovie Omo-Agege and Ali Ndume as being the arrowheads of the forceful takeover of the Senate chamber and the impeachment plot while the federal lawmakers are on their annual vacation.

    He said: “The aim of their invasion while other senators are on recess is to come and sit illegally when everybody is on recess to impeach the senate president.

    “We also have it on good authority that they are planning to come back this night and tomorrow morning aided by security forces; our own security forces whose job is to protect the lives of Nigerians.

    “They are the ones leading these dissident senators to come and truncate our democracy. We might think they want to take over the senate; that’s not what they want to do.

    “They want to truncate this democracy of ours. But we the PDP caucus has decided to stay here to keep vigil and wait to s what’s going to happen tonight and tomorrow night”.

    He however said it was time for Nigerians to rise up and defend the nation’s democracy, “This is not a rape on the National Assembly, it’s a rape on democracy which concerns all of us.

    “If we allow this to happen, then we can as well go back to when we use to have a military junta.

    “We also have some information that some policemen have arrived. We want to find out what they are doing here,” he added

     

  • I am not ready to dump APC – Kalu

    …..Says crisis in party will be resolved

     

    Former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu on Wednesday said he is not ready to defect from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), because it is not moral for politicians to move from one party to the other preparatory to every election circle.

    He said people who are afraid of losing election in Abia State are responsible for spreading falsehood about loyalty to the APC.

    Kalu, however spared a thought for the ongoing EFCC trail, affirming that he will challenge the “No Case Submission “, at the Court of Appeal.

    He said he remains in the ruling party to deepen democracy, because only politicians who see politics as a do or die affair, that move from party to party

    Speaking to reporters at a private terminal at the international wing of the Lagos Airport, Kalu described as ‘capital naked fallacy’, insinuations that he was returning to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    He however described the gale of defections from APC to PDP, as an unhealthy development that is though driven by choice, but not good for democracy.

    Kalu said: “I am not leaving the APC. That is what l will call a capital naked fallacy; l am not going back to PDP. I left PDP  since 2006 and l have never been back, l have been a member of Progressives People’s Alliance  before l  joined APC when l found out that Nigeria has gone to two party systems. “Honestly going back to PDP is not really an option for me. I will rather go to my farm in Igbere and farm. I don’t think there is any truth in the rumour. It is just people who knew that they are already losing Abia because they no they will lose Abia with me standing.”

    Kalu, however, spared a though for the gale of defections hitting the ruling party, saying the development calls for caution, by the leadership of the party.

    He said “We are in trouble. Anybody saying APC is not in trouble is not saying the truth but we will come out of it,  but you see the President has remain like a true leader and father of all that he is, you have not seen him abuse  anybody. Defecting and not defecting is a question of choice.  We acknowledge we have a problem and we are going to fine-tune a strategy to resolve it.”

    We are in trouble of political business because we are in political business and we are going to find political solutions to the myriad of political business we have at hand. Every trouble has solution and we are going to find solution to the problem we have now.

    “It is the choice of the senate president to defect. You know we are all friends. He left PDP before to come to the APC. What l don’t like about the defection is that it shouldn’t be a recurring decimal whereby at any slightest thing, we jump to another political party.

    “Saraki father was my father; l was like his first son. I cannot speak ill of him. He has made his decision and l cannot stop him that will not stop me from going to his house to eat food. The other day l was in Atiku’s house but l am a core supporter of Buhari. People are just playing politics as if it is a do or die affair. One thing is clear, by 2019, one person must win this presidency not two people.”

    He said it is not moral to condemn the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki for defecting to the PDP, because the Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is already addressing the issue.

    Kalu said “I think Chairman Oshiomhole is looking at that and he will come out policy that we will present at the national executive committee of the party. The leadership of the party is looking at the present solution. Rome was not built in a day. PDP was a party formed barely 20 years ago and APC is just 3 years old so there must be fighting just like we saw in the early days of PDP up till 2006 we were fighting.

    “People like me were deregistered from my pdp but l didn’t leave PDP, we were de-registered by Obasanjo, myself, Atiku,  Boni  Haruna and the and rest. It is a continuous thing but l want people to be patient, we would be able to get what we  are looking for but if not we wont get to our desired destination because political processes evolves over time. I keep  saying that in political development, the hardware is not the selling point, successes of any political development is  the software. The software means obeying the rule of law.”

    Kalu, said the “No Case Submission “, will be addressed at a court of higher jurisdiction.

    Read Also: Judge gets leave to conclude Kalu’s trial

    He said “You saw on Wednesday l lost the case of my no case submission in the court and l am not abusing the judge talk ill of the judge, that was the opinion of the judge and l am going to a higher court to seek appeal and even go to the Supreme court where l will seek the opinion of another jurist. This is what l preach to government, individuals, corporations that we must obey the rule of law. Unless everybody sees a lion from the same point that it is a lion. I want to advice that government at all levels and individuals should start obeying the court record. Once we obey the laws of the court and those of the land, we become freer.”

    Kalu said his interest in running for the Abia North Senatorial Seat, under the platform of the APC, is to smoothen the relationship between the legislative and executive arms of government.

    He said “My interest has always been to be relevant politically and what l am going to do for the people of Abia north and Nigeria generally. I am going to be a very strong voice in the senate by making a lot of difference like l did when l was in the House of Representatives, in the aborted Third Republic. I was the one who sponsored the bill that was passed into law for dual citizenship of Nigerians which was the only bill that Babangida signed as a president.

    “I am going to also unfold a lot of things that will first come to my constituency in Abia north so that they will now know that they have a senator representing them; secondly the Abia people will know they have a voice of a vibrant senator and then Nigerians. I will work across board in the six geo-political zones to formulate policies on education, healthcare. Education remains the most important gift any government should give its citizens.

    “I am also going to be formulating on agriculture. My duty is to work with the President and ensure a cordial working relationship with the executive and legislature. It is only when we have such relationship that progress is made. I employ today 9, 000 workers in Nigeria, l am going to bring my management skill to bear on the discharge of my duties.”

    The former Abia State Governor, however lauded government on the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air, describing it as one of the best decisions taken by the government.

    He said “The government has done fantastically what l believe should be done. It should be replicated in the rail, waterways, shipping line and others. Govt. should just owe five percent. I must praise the minister of state for aviation and the people that put the structure that is making waves today. Those structures are solid ones and if they can maintain it, Nigeria Air will compete with other foreign carriers that dominate our airspace. I laud the good initiative for a country like Nigeria spending all our money on foreign airlines; it is good we have a strong dominant airline back up by government.

    “Ethiopian airlines is still own by government. I maintain all my aircraft with them so l know that they are capable of doing. Government should not event stop at that, they should allow the private sector initiative to go into the new shipping line and others.

    “Those criticizing it never knew that it is only true government that you can build a strong economy. It is only when government invests in economy manage by private sector that we can have moved forward.”

  • Breaking: Bolaji Abdullahi quits APC

    …Accuses Oshiomhole of usurping his functions

     

    After several hours of playing hide and seek, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi has finally resigned his position and membership of the party citing usurpation of his functions as one of his reasons for quitting.

    In a statement made available to newsmen, Abdullahi also said he was quitting because he cannot continue to function as the spokesman of a party whose expectations of his role is incompatible with personal principles.

    Read Also:Saraki leaving will not affect APC fortune negatively, says Okorocha

    He said it is clear to the world that the political group he belongs to is no longer wanted and where his views are constantly second-guessed on the basis of his political affiliation.

    There has been speculation of the resignation of Mallam Abdullahi, a position he denied saying he was still a member of the APC, but decided to quit less than 24hours after the exit of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatai Ahmed.

    The statement reads: “In view of recent political developments in the country and within the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have decided to resign my position as the National Publicity Secretary as well as my membership of the party with effect from today.

    “In the last few days, I have had to endure the flagrant usurpation of my role as the spokesman of the party in a manner that I consider unbefitting of a ruling party and inconsistent with my ethical standards.

    “I have served the APC honestly and to the best of my ability and when I stood for and won my election at the last convention; it was a keen desire to continue to do so.

    “However, in a situation whereby my loyalty is constantly brought into question; my subordinates deployed to subvert my office; and my views constantly second-guessed on the basis of my political affiliation, it has become imperative for me to review my position.

    “Since assuming office as the spokesman of the party, I have tried to set a new template for public political communications in a way that departs from the vulgar abuse and verbal aggression of the recent past, where cheap lies and crude propaganda were normalised as politics, and even celebrated as measures of competence.

    “Unfortunately, those who felt I was not “forceful enough” framed my ethical disposition as evidence of a lack of commitment to the party.

    “The unlawful dissolution of the validly elected party executive in Kwara State earlier in the week was only another phase in the unrelenting assault I have had to endure.

    “As a national officer of the party, who sit in that Committee, courtesy should demand that my views be sought on a matter that concerns my State and in which I am directly involved. That action was, to say the least, disrespectful.

    “Quite recently, we all took the oath to do justice to all and not allow personal interests to interfere with our official responsibilities. With this obviously presumptuous action, and the decision to appoint as chairman of caretaker committee, the same man who had emerged as the chairman from the parallel congress in my State, the NWC has taken sides, violated its oath of office and subverted its own credibility as an impartial arbiter.

    “Yet, these are the same people that have continued to insinuate that others are serving interests other than those of the party. Politics is local, and my personal stake in the issue of Kwara makes it incongruous for me to continue to sit as part of the working committee of the party.

    “Clearly, I cannot continue to function as the spokesman of a party whose expectations of that role is incompatible with my personal principles. In the same token, I can no longer justify to myself that I should remain in a party which has now made it clear to the world that the political group that I belong is no longer wanted, and which has hung my membership of that group as an albatross around my neck.”