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Tag: Saraki

  • Saraki kicks as Mark rejects defection letter

    Saraki kicks as Mark rejects defection letter

    Citing a court order, Senate President David Mark may have declined to accept the defecting 11 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senators’ letter.

    At a closed door session of the Senate yesterday, Mark reportedly said he would not accept the letter until the injunction restraining him and House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal is vacated.

    He was also said to have quoted Order 53(5) of the Senate Standing Orders, which stipulates that the Senate must obey court orders.

    But leader of the defecting Senators Bukola Saraki was said to have sought to invoke Order 14, which deals with Privileges, to read the letter, if Mark’s “lands are tied”. His request was refused.

    The other senators are Shaaba Lafiagi (Kwara North), Mohammed Ndume (Borno South), Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West), Magnus Abe (Rivers South East), Wilson Ake (Rivers West), Bindo Jubrilla (Adamawa North), Abdullahi Gobir (Sokoto East) and Alhassan Aisha Jummai (Taraba North).

    It was gathered that Mark opened up for the first time, at the Executive Session, on the controversy trailing the senators’ defection.

    Mark, it was learnt allowed exhaustive debate on the propriety of reading the letter on the floor of the Senate.

    Members also spoke on the implications of Section 68(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution on the vacation of a seat by a defecting Senator.

    A Senator from the Northwest told The Nation. “The President of the Senate said as long as he remains in charge, he will abide by the court injunction.

    “He told us that the affected Senators went to court seeking an order to restrain him and the Speaker of the House of Representatives from declaring their seats vacant.

    “He said since the court gave an injunction to maintain the status quo, the order applies to defection and its aftermath, which borders on the declaration of any Senator’s seat vacant.

    “Mark insisted on the larger interpretation of the court injunction instead of an isolated one. He said the day the court rules otherwise, he will allow due process to take its course.”

    A high-ranking Senator from the Southeast said: “The Senate President also cited Order 53(5) of the Senate Standing Orders to buttress his argument. He said since there had been precedents in the Senate, he would not make this case an exemption.

    “He said once a case is in court, the Senate cannot dabble in the matter. He then rolled out a long list of cases in court on which the Senate had stayed action.”

    “The Order 53(5) says: ‘Reference shall not be made to any matter on which a judicial decision is pending in such a way as might in the opinion of the President of the Senate prejudice the interest of parties thereto.’ Most Senators, especially those from the PDP concurred with Mark.”

    A Senator from the Southsouth said PDP Senators saw Mark as being lenient and protective of the 11 Senators because “we were determined to pressurise him to declare their seats vacant in line with Section 68(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution”.

    He said: “At a point, some of us thought Mark was protecting the 11 Senators who should automatically vacate their seats once they officially pitched tent with the All Progressives Congress (APC). We accused the Senate President of favouring the Senators.

    “But Mark told us that no military commander would want to lose any member of his troops until such a person chooses to go astray. He said he owes it a duty to be fair and just to all Senators irrespective of political leanings because they are all members of a family.

    “What Mark is trying to do to is to give the 11 Senators a long rope to pull under the ambit of the law before taking any drastic action.”

    The Saraki led defecting Senators replied that Order 53(5) only applies to the Rules of Debate in the Senate and not the conduct of the Senate.

    Their letter, they argued, was not debatable before the Senate.

    Saraki urged Mark to direct the Clerk of the Senate to read the letter, saying that would not amount to violation of either the court injunction or Order 53(5).

    He said he should be allowed to invoke Order 14 (a) on Privileges to read the letter in the Senate.

    Order 14(a-b) says: “Privileges are the rights enjoyed by the Senate collectively and by the members of the Senate individually conferred by the Legislative Houses(Powers and Privileges) Act CAP 208 Laws of the Federation 1990 and other statutes, or by practice, precedent, usage and custom.

    “Whenever a matter of privilege arises, it shall be taken up immediately.”

    Mark was said to have stood his ground that he would neither allow the Clerk nor Saraki to read the letter because there is a case in court.

    A Senator from the APC said: “I think there was a gross misinterpretation of the court injunction and Order 53(5) by the President of the Senate. The same scenario was obtainable in the House of Representatives and Speaker Aminu Tambuwal allowed members to defect to APC.

    “Why is the Senate being holier than thou? Why are we more Catholic than the Pope in the Senate? I suspect a hidden agenda by PDP and a likely ambush of the 11 Senators for some reasons. I hope the President of the Senate will watch his back well.”

    A Senator from the Northeast said: “We suspect foul play because the 11 Senators have been trapped to their seats within the PDP end of the Chamber. It is a case of you have rights but we won’t allow you to exercise these rights.”

    On the way out, a Senator from the Northcentral said: “Both APC and PDP have receded to their various camps to explore ways out of the controversy on the letter.

    “We are now on break to allow APC Senators to go for membership registration. I know before we come back, tempers would have cooled down and they will allow us to defect to the party of our choice.

    “We are also considering other options at APC level. We will unfold these options after consultations with our party.”

  • Akume, Saraki, Goje, others protest failure to read defection letter

    Akume, Saraki, Goje, others protest failure to read defection letter

    It was a battle of wits yesterday in the Senate as 11 senators who tendered a letter of defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) demanded that their letter be read.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, blocked the efforts of the defectors to have the letter read.

    Proceedings in the upper chamber were held up for over 30 minutes as APC senators vehemently protested Ekweremadu’s refusal to read the letter.

    While the APC senators were insisting that the letter must be read, their PDP counterparts were encouraging Ekweremadu not to read it.

    Eleven Senators, submitted a letter of “notification of change of political party” to Senate President David Mark on Wednesday.

    They expected Mark to read the letter, but for undisclosed reasons, he did not.

    Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central), who was said to have been unsettled by the antics of the Senate leadership, raised yesterday a Point of Order to enforce his privilege by calling attention to the letter.

    Saraki said 11 of them wrote a letter to notify the Senate leadership of their defection from PDP to APC.

    He noted that the letter which was given to the Senate President on Wednesday, was a notification of change of political party “by myself and 10 other senators from the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.

    He added: “So, I felt that it was necessary for me to bring to your attention that the letter has not yet been read.”

    Ekweremadu promptly responded that the Senate President had travelled.

    He said “before he (Mark) traveled, he told me that you (Saraki) had a discussion with him and agreed to have a meeting on Monday”.

    Saraki, who appeared not to be satisfied with Ekweremadu’s response thundered: “That is not the case, sir. I submitted the letter yesterday (Wednesday) and he (Mark) indicated the intention that he would like to meet with senators.

    “The two issues, submitting the letter and his request for the meeting do not seem that the meeting was subject to the bringing of the letter. So, I felt that the two are two separate issues.”

    Ekweremadu insisted: “Unfortunately, this is my own understanding of your dialogue with him and he is not here. So I believe that we whould stand down any issue relating to that until he comes back.”

    Ekweremadu’s response provoked a massive protest by APC senators.

    Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) raised another Point of Order.

    He said: “I, Senator Danjuma Goje, representing Gombe Central and 10 others sent a letter to the Senate President, formally informing him to inform the chamber that we have defected from PDP to APC.

    “We thought the letter would have been read yesterday (Wednesday); it was not read yesterday. We feel it should be read today (Thursday).

    “I think it is our right and privilege for the letter to be read. I have defected. Ten other senators who signed that letter have also defected from PDP to APC. So I demand that that letter be read.”

    Ekweremadu replied: “Well, first of all, I think you came late because we have discussed this matter earlier before you arrived and we have taken a decision on this.”

    There was a deafening shout of “no, no, no” by senators who opposed Ekweremadu’s comment.

    Undaunted, Ekweremadu said: “You did not sign any letter for defection; why are you saying no? So, I am addressing those who wrote a letter.

    “Just to recap; I said before you came in that the Senate President has travelled and that before he travelled, he told me that he had a discussion with distinguished Senator Saraki and that he will meet on Monday with those of you who want to defect from PDP. So, he did not give me any letter to read.”

    Minority Leader George Akume rose to emphasise that there was nothing unconstitutional about the defection of the 11 Senators.

    Akume said: “Mr. President, I speak on behalf of those of us who have sworn to protect the Constitution of this country. Mr. President, you are not new to this system.

    “We are all Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This country operates a bicameral legislature. This country has only one Constitution that guides our operations. Therefore, what is constitutional in the House of Representatives cannot be unconstitutional in the Senate.”

    Ekweremadu did not want to hear that.

    He said: “Sorry, sorry, sorry, I have to stop you. Please, you have to wait. Minority Leader, under which procedure are you coming now?

    “I don’t see what the problem is. Senator Saraki raised a Point of Order that he sent a letter containing the names of senators who want to defect. He said he gave it to Senator Mark, who is the President of the Senate.

    “Today, Mark is not here and before he traveled, he told me that there was a discussion he had. And I appealed to Senator Saraki to wait until Mark comes back. My own understanding is that the discussion had something to do with the letter.

    “So, there is no way you will tell me to believe somebody who is here and I don’t believe somebody who is not here. That would be unfair to Senator Mark.

    “My appeal is that we leave all these matters, make progress and, by Tuesday, Mark will be here. So, if there is any need to read the letter, then we would read the letter.”

    Senator Anthony Adeniyi (Ekiti South), who quoted Order 26 of the Senate, noted that in the absence of the Senate President, the Deputy Senate President shall perform all the duties and functions of the Senate President.

    Some Senators shouted “no, no, no”, in an attempt to heckle the APC Ekiti State senator.

    Adeniyi was not intimidated as he continued with his address.

    “Fortunately, the Senate President told this chamber that he is aware of the letter. I urge the Deputy Senate President to read the letter,” Adeniyi said.

    But, Ekweremadu said he was not limited in manner but that the matter under discussion had already been settled with Saraki, who raised it.

    He asked Adeniyi to read Order 39, which spells out the order of business for the Senate for the day. He said the session was already on the last business for the day.

    Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central), who came under Order 14 (b), reminded the Senate that “whenever a matter of privilege arises, it shall be taken up immediately”.

    Ekweremadu noted that he had already done that.

    He said: “I have dealt with that and we are making progress. Senator Saraki raised it and I have ruled on it. Let us not waste our time on this, please. Let us leave this matter until the Senate President comes back. It would be his word against Saraki’s.”

    With that, the matter was kept in view.

  • Waiting for APC’s new senators

    Waiting for APC’s new senators

    It has never happened before. Since the country’s voyage into the democratic terrain in 1999, the president’s party has always been in charge of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Even in the first and second Republics, the opposition never had control of any arm of the National Assembly.

    But, yesterday that changed, making President Goodluck Jonathan a man of history, for the wrong reason- some may say.

    The defection of the 37 members of the House of Representatives from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) is the latest blow to Jonathan and the PDP. This will make it extremely difficult for them to implement their agenda in the legislature.

    The PDP, which still controls the Senate, has won every national election since the end of military rule.

    Many senators, who are members of the new PDP, are expected to announce their defection soon. When they do, the PDP’s grip on the Senate will be eroded, making things more difficult for the president and the PDP.

    When the party’s crisis broke out, 26 senators backed the Kawu Baraje faction, which has now become part of the APC.

    In a statement, they said:”By this decision that no doubt provides a soothing balm that will calm nerves in the party, you have written your names in gold and will be remembered in our political history as men that stood to save the party and Nigeria’s democracy.

    “We heartily rejoice with our patriots and eminent Nigerians led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar GCON, and the Governors of Kano State, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso, Aliyu Wammako, (Sokoto), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Muazu Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Abdul Fattah Ahmed (Kwara), and Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), for the bold, swift and courageous step to reposition the People’s Democratic Party under a new leadership.

    “We congratulate the new chairman, Alhaji Abdulahi Kawu Baraje, the Deputy Chairman, Dr Sam Sam Jaja, National secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinola and other members of the National Executive Committee for their emergence as leaders of our great party.

    “We therefore, pledge our unfettered loyalty to the Barage-led PDP National Executive.”

    The senators are the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Bello Hayatu Gwarzo, Kano North; Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, Borno South; Senator Ahmad Zannah, Borno Central; Senator Abdulahi Adamu, Nasarawa West; Senator Abdulahi Danladi Sankara, Jigawa North-West; Senator Abdulaziz Usman, Jigawa Northeast; Senator Abdulmumini Mohammed Hassan,Jigawa Southwest; Senator Umaru Dahiru, Sokoto South; Senator Ahmed Mohammed Maccido, Sokoto North; Senator Muhammad Shaaba Lafiaji, Kwara North; Senator Simeon Sule Ajibola, Kwara South; Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Kwara Central; Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, Rivers South-East; Senator Wilson Asinobi Ake, Rivers West; Senator Danjuma Mohammed Goje, Gombe Central; Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali, Gombe North; Senator Ahmed Hassan Barata, Adamawa South; Senator Bindowo Umar Mohammed Bindiwo Jibrilla, Adamawa North; Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan, Taraba North; Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir, Sokoto East; Senator Bashir Garba Mohammad, Kano Central; Senator Abdulaziz Usman, Jigawa North-East and Senator Isa Galaudu, Kebbi North.

    Shortly after the senators declared their loyalty to the Baraje faction, an angry PDP Chair Bamanga Tukur said the party would do everything within its powers to deal with anyone who attempted to undermine the authority of the party.

    He added: “All persons elected on the platform of our great party at all levels who identify with these enemies of the oneness and greatness of our party shall have their seats declared vacant as required by law.

    “We shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that such persons and indeed, any other individuals who attempt to subvert the leadership of the PDP shall reap in full, the consequences of such actions.”

    But, despite Tukur’s harsh words, senators expected to join the APC are are Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central), Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West), Senator Magnus Abe (River Southeast),Senator Wilson Ake (Rivers West), Senator Shaba Lafiagi (Kwara North), Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) , Senator Aisha Alhassan (Taraba North), Ali Ndume (Borno South), Ahmed Zannah (Borno Central) and Umaru Dahiru (Sokoto South).

    Others are Ibrahim Gobir (Sokoto East), Garba Mohammed (Kano Central), Isa Galaudu (Kebbi North) , Ahmed Alkali (Gombe North) and Hassan Barata (Adamawa South).

    The blow dealt by the Reps on the PDP and Jonathan is coming when the heat generated by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo letter to the president is yet to die down. Obsanjo told Jonathan it would be “morally flawed” for him to seek re-election because of his failure to tackle the country’s myriad problems – including corruption, piracy, kidnapping and oil theft.

    Before the lawmakers’ defection, five governors broke away to join the APC.

    All the changing tide has been to the benefit of the APC, which was formed in February following the merger of four opposition parties to challenge the PDP in the 2015 election.

    All eyes are now on the senators, who will pitch their tenth with the opposition. The noose is surely tightening on the president.

    Jonathan moved from the vice-presidency to the presidency in 2010 after his predecessor, Umaru Yar’Adua, died in office. He won the presidential election the following year. His road to a second term will surely be rough and tough.

  • Kwara Law students visit Saraki

    Kwara Law students visit Saraki

    Students of Kwara State origin in Abuja campus of the Nigerian Law School are seeking assistance from former governor of the state and senator, Bukola Saraki, to seek improved welfare Kwara students.

    The leader of the students, Titilope Akogun, said: “This visit is to solicit for the support of the lawmaker and to ensure that indigent students enjoy educational support designed for the students by the state government. The influence of the Senator would help in the prompt payment of our bursary by the government.

    Senator Saraki charged them to be good ambassadors of the state while they study in the school.

    He advised the students to start planning for life after graduation. He lamented the high rate of unemployment in the country, urging them to be employers.

    Saraki promised to ensure prompt payment of the bursary to the students.

    Other members of the delegation included Abubakar Issa, Bayero Ahmed, Fagbemi Adekemi, Adesoye Abimbola, Abdulkareem Alhassan, Abdulkareem Yusuff, Sulaimon Alamoyo, Gana Hilda and Abdulkareem Tunde.

  • ‘Saraki’s, others’ exit welcome’

    ‘Saraki’s, others’ exit welcome’

    Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State loyal to the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, have said the defection of Senator Bukola Saraki and his group to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a welcome development.

    In statement by Dr Abdulsalam A. K. Abdulsalam (Kwara Central), Iliasu Ibrahim (Kwara North) and Chief Lanre Ogundeji (Kwara South), the party said their defection “is a blessing not only to the people of the state but also to the well-being of our great party in the country.”

    The statement added: “We wish to assure our National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and the leadership of our party of our loyalty. As we journey towards 2015, we wish to state that the exit of these people will not affect the fortune, progress and prosperity of PDP in the state.”

    Also, the President-General, Afonja Descendants Union, Abdulkarim Olola-Kasum, said the defectors’ presence would have posed a danger to PDP’s fortune in the 2015 elections.

    “They would have acted the role of the Trojan horse to ensure the failure of President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 election. I am now inspired to join the PDP to participate in ensuring the return of President Jonathan to Aso Rock in 2015,” Olola-Kasum said.

  • Saraki: my dad’s dynasty faring well

    Saraki: my dad’s dynasty faring well

    Former Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki yesterday said the political structure left behind by his late father, Dr Olusola Saraki, “is faring well.”

    Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko, billionaire Aliko Dangote and former Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Abubakar Baraje were among dignitaries at the one year fidau for the late Saraki in Ilorin.

    Also present were former governors Adamu Aleiro (Kebbi), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa), Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun) and Danjuma Goje (Gombe).

    Kwara State Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed; the Danmasani Kano, Maitama Sule and former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode were also there.

    The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, led other traditional rulers in the state to the prayer venue.

    Speaking with reporters at the Ilorin Central Mosque, Saraki confessed that although the vacuum created by the demise of his father had been difficult to fill, the family was doing its best to sustain his legacies.

    He thanked the people for their support for the Saraki political dynasty.

    The former governor said the people’s support for his family had been demonstrated in the victories recorded by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

    He assured the people of the determination of the Saraki family to continue to ensure their well being, just as the Baba Saraki during his lifetime.

    The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheik Salihu Bashir, leading the prayers, described the late Saraki as a man whose love for the masses was uncommon and prayed Allah to grant him eternal rest.

    The former Nasarawa State governor said the late politician “was a leader of many dimensions, who lay indelible examples of how to lead, provide service and unite the people, irrespective of religion and tribe.

    “Everything has been an attestation of people’s acceptance of him and the people’s endorsement of his ways of life and the examples he set.”

  • Suspension of Baraje, Oyinlola, others done in bad taste – Saraki

    Suspension of Baraje, Oyinlola, others done in bad taste – Saraki

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday asked the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to review the suspension of former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Onyinlola, former acting national chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure from the party.

    Saraki, who fielded questions from journalists in Abuja, said the suspension slammed on Baraje, Onyinlola, Jaja and Kazaure was done in bad taste.

    He noted that the action of the party had further united the G-7 governors and widened the crisis in the party.

    The former Kwara State Governor added that the court ruling that brought Oyinlola back to the party as national secretary was an opportunity for reconciliation in the party.

    He noted that the opportunity of reconciliation offered by the court ruling on Oyinlola had been lost through the action of the party.

    The suspension, he said, will not help the PDP in its effort to resolve the lingering crisis in the party.

    He said, “We woke up to read in the papers today that some key members of a faction in the PDP had been suspended. PDP as a ruling party, 14 years of democracy, I believe it’s unfortunate.

    “It is a means of circumventing the ruling of the court. We should not take the issue of the rule of law with levity. Since a court had ruled that Oyinlola should resume as Secretary of the party, PDP should comply with the judgment of the court.

    “These are some of the issues that some of us are angry about. The PDP will be there, long after Oyinlola, long after everybody. We should protect the institution.

    “We can’t win always. We would win some, we would lose some. By doing this now, how are we going to help the reconciliation? It will surely not help reconciliation. Some of us thought it was a golden opportunity to begin to reconcile.

    “I think the party should review its action and give peace a chance because to suspend key members of a faction and still expect the aggrieved governors to be sympathetic to the cause of the party and be attending their meetings will be difficult and would not help the party.

    “Apart from the issue of reconciliation, this cannot help our democracy. The party is an institution that we are all holding in trust. We must all protect that institution not by being emotional or by expressing sentiments.

    “ The process sometimes could work in your favour, sometimes it may not. The executive there now will not be there forever. It is very sad because some of us have continued fight how we can bring peace to the party. All these things being done behind the scene, we should give peace a chance.”

     

  • Presidency plots to cripple Saraki

    Presidency plots to cripple Saraki

    The frosty relationship between the Presidency and former Kwara State governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, may have irretrievably snapped if the current travails being faced by the latter are anything to go by, reports Assistant Editor, Remi Adelowo

    It was one of the early meetings held in the middle of 2010 between the 23 state governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the newly inaugurated President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The main agenda of the meeting was the need to rally support behind the President in his ambition to contest the 2011 presidential election in spite of the stiff opposition by northern stakeholders who accused the President of attempting to violate the zoning policy of the PDP following the death of Jonathan’s former boss, Umaru Yar’Adua.

    It was the President that spoke first, according to sources privy to the meeting. In a military-styled fashion, the President allegedly sounded tough and subtly threatened any of the governors who failed to support his aspiration to contest.

    As the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Saraki’s lot, it was, to respond on behalf of his colleagues. Expectedly, he seized the moment with both hands.

    The former governor reportedly told the President to allow an open, free and fair presidential primary in the party among interested aspirants. As a clincher, he told the President that no amount of threats will cow the governors as they are not subservient to his (Jonathan) authority.

    Before the parley held, speculations had been rife that Saraki was interested in contesting for the PDP presidential ticket.

    And shortly after the President declared his readiness to contest the polls, Saraki also announced his intention and went further to personally inform the President on his decision.

    But after failing to get the endorsement of the Northern Elders Forum that was saddled with the task of picking a consensus presidential candidate for the North, Saraki pledged his support for the President and subsequently delivered the state for the PDP in the 2011 general elections.

    That notwithstanding, loyalists of the President never forgave him for his alleged ‘indiscretion’ to challenmge the President in the first place.

    From that point, the relationship between the former governor and the nation’s number one citizen, has been rather lukewarm and at the best of times tense.

    While the two parties have not gone public on their alleged cold war, the Presidency has, in recent times, allegedly instigated some subterranean moves to get even with the former governor.

    Some days ago, a group of stakeholders of the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Parties led by Alhaji Suleiman Alada visited the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur in Abuja.

    Also in the delegation were the Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Prof. Abdulrahman Oba, the Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values, Mrs. Sarah Jubril, Senator Haliru Kayamah, Deacon John Dara, Alhaji Ladun Edun, Alhaji Folorunso Ayinla and Alhaji Kunle Suleiman, amongst others.

    Alada, who spoke on behalf of the group, among other things, called for the dissolution of the state executive council of the party loyal to Saraki over its membership of the new faction of the party led by Alhaji Abubakar Baraje.

    While calling for drastic steps to be taken against Saraki, Alada was quoted to have said, “We on this delegation urge you, Mr. Chairman, that the time is now, not tomorrow. You must put on ground your strong foot of discipline to restore sanity in Kwara PDP.”

    The Nation gathered that the main objective of the group is to convince the leadership on the need to compel the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASEIC) not to recognise the candidates put forward by the Saraki group in the forthcoming local government elections in the state.

    Oba, who is also the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, reportedly boasted during the parley with Tukur that Saraki was no longer a factor in the politics of the state contrary to the widely held belief that the former governor is in firm control of the state politics.

    Though Tukur failed to give any firm commitment on the requests of the Oba-led group, sources disclosed that in the last couple of months, forces in the Presidency and the party have been working on series of plots to ‘deal with Saraki for his alleged disrespect and disloyalty to the President.”

    The height of Saraki’s alleged transgressions was his call for a comprehensive probe of the oil subsidy regime in early 2012, a move which was interpreted by forces in the Presidency as clearly intended to embarrass the government.

    Sources also revealed that the Presidency was also peeved that Saraki allegedly spurned entreaties by the President to intervene in the leadership crisis in the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) by asking the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, to step down for the PDP’s anointed candidate for the chairmanship position, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State.

    Saraki, a University of London-trained medical doctor, has not known peace since then.

    In the last couple of months, he had been in and out of the offices of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigerian Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to answer questions on his alleged role in the collapse of the defunct Societe Generele Bank, which he ran before his entry into politics and alleged misappropriation of funds during his reign as governor from 2003 to 2011.

    The Nation learnt that the Presidency, having come to the realisation that it could not placate Saraki or meet his demands for a truce, had allegedly decided to instruct the national headquarters of the PDP to dissolve the Kwara State executive council of the party anytime from now.

    A few weeks ago, this same treatment was meted to the Kano State chapter of the party over the state governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s support for the nPDP.

    Another plan on the cards, it was gathered, is to position Abdulrahman Oba as the arrowhead of the party in Kwara State ahead of the 2015 general elections.

    Once close political allies, Oba and Saraki fell apart some months ago over the alleged refusal of the latter to recommend him for a second term as the boss of FCC.

    However, through the influence of certain forces in the Presidency, Oba secured the second term much to Saraki’s consternation. For daring to challenge Saraki’s authority, Oba was subsequently declared a persona non-grata in Kwara PDP.

    In a bid to further cut Saraki to size, there are unconfirmed speculations that he may be arraigned in court by the EFCC in the next couple of weeks, while associates of the state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, will be subjected to further harassments by anti-graft bodies.

    The Presidency is also said to be tinkering with the idea of backing Oba, who hails from Ilorin like Saraki as the PDP governorship candidate in 2015 in order to erode the support base of the former governor in the area that has over 52 percent of the voting population in the state.

    From all indications, it is quite certain that the battle for the soul of Kwara State politics as the 2015 elections draws closer will be fought with all the arsenals at the disposal of the ‘combatants’.

  • Saraki: let’s shape our actions

    A Former Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki has urged Nigerians to exhibit actions which reflect the Nigeria of their dreams.

    The senator representing Kwara Central advised Nigerians to be more prudent.

    In a Sallah message in Ilorin,he said: “The sectional violence in other trouble zones of our country requires our prayers and empathy for the families who have been displaced from their homes and their loved ones.

    “I am pleased to extend my greetings and best wishes to my fellow Muslims on the auspicious occasion of Eid-el-Kabir celebration. The celebration infuses in us a sense of brotherhood and spirit of togetherness.”

     

     

  • Saraki tasks ABS, donates cow

    Saraki tasks ABS, donates cow

    Sen. Bukola Saraki, the Proprietor, Abubakar Bukola Saraki Football Club (ABS FC) of Ilorin, has urged the club to win its outstanding two matches in the 2012/2013 Globacom Premier League season.

    The General Manager of the club, Alloy Chukwuemeka, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, while speaking on the senator’s Sallah message to the club.

    Chukwuemeka told NAN that the Senator, who represents the Kwara Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, also donated a cow to the club’s players and officials, as their Sallah gift.

    He said the Senator promised the players a better package in the next league season.

    On the club’s week 37 game with Nembe City, Chukwuemeka said the team was finalising its strategies to win its outstanding two matches in the league, so as to avoid relegation.

    Chukwuemeka, however, expressed disappointment with the club’s 0-1 loss to Enyimba FC of Aba, last Saturday.

    “I think the boys are in the right frame of mind now; they know how important the remaining six points are to them, so they don’t want to be relegated too,” Chukwuemeka said.

    NAN reports that the ABS is currently sitting on the 18th position on the log, with 47 points from the 36 games played so far this season.

    Nembe City FC of Bayelsa occupies the 16th position on the table, with 49 points from 36 games.

    NAN also reports that ABS FC and Nembe City are among the few privately-owned clubs in the Globacom Premier League, while state governments own most clubs.