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Tag: Saraki

  • Nigeria needs a digital president, says Saraki

    Presidential aspirant, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday said that Nigeria needs a “digital” President that is abreast with the new world social order.

    Saraki, who visited Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State Wednesday to seek support for his presidential ambition, said Nigeria desires a dynamic leadership that is private sector inclusive.

    “I am in Cross River to solicit delegates’ support in the forthcoming presidential primaries of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). I have the intellectual ability and capacity to rule Nigeria and that is why I am soliciting the support of all Nigeria to achieve this aim,” he said

    Governor Ben Ayade commended Saraki for coming out to seek for the office of the President, adding that he has the capacity to lead Nigeria to a greater heights.

    Read Also: I’ll stand by consensus candidate – Kwankwaso

    He raised alarm over the increasing number of Cameroonian refugees into the state due to the current crisis in Cameroon over the demand for Ambazonia Republic.

    Ayade told Saraki that Cross River was currently facing security challenges with the discovery of 27 illegal routes used by the Cameroonians to gain access into the state.

  • Saraki appoints Okupe as campaign council chair

    Senate President Bukola Saraki has appointed Dr. Doyin Okupe as chairman of the Media Council for his campaign organisation.

    A statement yesterday by the Director-General, Abubakar Bukola Saraki Campaign Organisation, Mohammed Wakil,

    said Okupe, a doctor and politician, served as the national publicity secretary of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in the Third Republic; director of Communications of the presidential campaigns of two former presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan and later served as senior special assistant on Media and Public Affairs to both presidents.

    The statement said he would work with other top professionals in the team to communicate the campaign messages of Dr. Saraki to Nigerians and the international community.

     

  • Nigeria cannot progress under its current structure – Saraki

    The Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said that Nigeria cannot make reasonable progress under its current political structure.

    He said the present political structure does not allow the country to move forward.

    Saraki stated this during his presidential campaign visit to Abia at the Peoples Democratic Party state secretariat in Umuahia the State capital.

    He promised to restructure Nigeria to enable each state to be economically viable if elected president 2019.

    Saraki who also paid a visit to Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, with other seven Senators at the Government House, said Ikpeazu has through his land mark achievements shown the people of Abia the importance of having a leader with vision and capacity to deliver and noted that It is time we had a Nigeria that represents all of us, a Nigeria that believes in equity and justice

    In a remark Governor Okezie Ikpeazu said that Nigeria requires a leader with requisite experience like Saraki who has served in the position as governor of Kwara State and now Senate President adding that Dr Saraki has the capacity to give Nigerians the needed hope.

    Ikpeazu said that its time for Nigerians to be careful and throw away all kinds of sentiments that are primordial to our immediate needs and unity of Nigerians.

  • Saraki to Nigerians: Make informed decisions in voting

    The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Friday in Umuahia urged Nigerians to make informed decisions during the election season, to ensure that Nigeria is put in the right direction.
    Saraki spoke when he paid Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia a visit to seek the support of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stalwarts in the state towards his political aspiration.
    He said that decisions on whom to vote for ought to be based on merit.
    “We are in a time when we owe it to ourselves and the future generations that we do the right thing.
    “Let us elect a leader that has capacity, knows issues and knows how to make Nigeria better.
    “A president that represents all Nigeria; in whom everybody will feel a sense of belonging, because today, we know the country is very divided,” Saraki said.
    He said that Nigeria required a youthful leader with capacity and vision, who would be able to harness the potential of the nation and attract socioeconomic development.
    Responding, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia said that the nation’s fledgling democracy required one who had experience on all flanks in the business of governance.
    “We will queue behind Nigeria to ensure that all of us will grow together; Abia is not going to  be left behind in any way.
    “We share in your aspirations and pray that we will get to the point where we would be among comity of respectable nations in the world,” he said.(NAN)

  • I will clinch PDP Presidential ticket- Saraki

    …urges Nigerians to stop Buhari

     

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Friday, disclosed that he is sure of emerging as the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) ahead of the party’s October 6 primaries.

    He stated that his desire to become Nigeria’s President is not just an ambition but a reality.

    He therefore enjoined Nigerians to stop President Muhammadu Buhari’s plan to continue in office beyond 2019.

    Saraki stated that voting out Buhari is the “only way to ensure national unity and security”.

    The Senate President who was in Owerri, the Imo state capital to meet with PDP stakeholders ahead of the October 6, Presidential primary, noted that “Nigeria has never been so divided in ethnicity, politics and religion”.

    According to him, “Nigeria needs a President who would unite all parts of the country, respect national character, grow local businesses and support entrepreneurial skills”.

    He observed that “poverty,lost of job opportunities, hardship were currently on the increase”.

    Saraki noted further that, “Nigeria has never been this divided. People are afraid to be called Nigerians. Ethnicity and religion have taken over. There is no inclusion anymore, no fairness, no Federal Character”.

    He continued that, “no job, businesses are dying. Survival of businesses is survival of the country. Poverty is everywhere.”

    He said that if not for God and the masses, Buhari would have removed him as the president of the senate three years ago

    According to him,”I will continue to fight for the masses. We have to change the leadership. We need a leadership that would ensure justice and fair distribution of national appointments. As a president, I will ensure everybody has a seat on his table. I will restore global reputation. Countries are built by handwork and vision.

    “South East people are hardworking, their entrepreneurial spirit is wonderful .As a president, I will partner south East to emerge the next tiger of Africa in business .You don’t build what you don’t have. I therefore appeal to the delegates to vote wisely.

    Read Also: Saraki’s presidential aspiration a joke, says APC

    “We must change Buhari with a man that has capacity ,integrity and vision in order to realise our potentials. I believe in restructuring that would give States opportunities to realise their potentials. I promoted made in Aba products.As a president i will support local businesses and ensure property.

    ” We need to have a President that will ensure prosperity, nobody wants a hand out. I am committed to the development of Southeast because it is in the best interest of Nigeria. You need the President that has the youthfulness, the energy to deliver.”

    Chairman of PDP in Imo state, Charles Ezekwem ,said that Igbo were interested in a presidential candidate that would restructure the country and create an additional state in the south East.

    Ezekwem said ” I have seen everything positive in Saraki.His defection made PDP chances of clinching the president easy.
    Igbo want restructuring and fairness. Saraki has the capacity, strength, pedigree, academic background to move Nigeria. “

  • All is not well with Nigeria, says Saraki

    Senate President Bukola Saraki said yesterday that Nigeria was at the crossroads.

    He added that the country was very divided.

    Saraki, who spoke while addressing delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the party’s secretariat in Enugu, expressed sadness over the level of youth unemployment.

    He appealed to PDP members to support him to emerge victorious during the primaries, and also to help him actualise his presidential ambition.

    Saraki said his decision to contest for the president had never been a personnel ambition, adding that Nigeria needed to change the leadership of the executive.

    He said Nigeria needs a president that will be youth friendly, adding that if he becomes the president, he will make many Asian Tigers, particularity in Enugu State.

    Saraki expressed happiness that despite what he and his deputy had been passing through in their efforts to ensure that the right thing was done, the Senate had cared for the people.

    He told the PDP members that the country needed a president that Nigerians would be proud of and who would see the whole nation as his constituency.

  • Nigeria drifting into anarchy- Saraki

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Thursday lamented the growing division in the country, warning that the country risks drifting into anarchy if nothing is done quickly to address the problem.

    He said Nigeria has never been so divided like it is now and noted that the unity our founding fathers propagated is at the verge of collapse.

     

    Saraki, a presidential aspirant of  party spoke at the Government House Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital where he went to consult the state governor, David Umahi and members of the People’s Democratic party, PDP in the state.

     

    He said he chose to begin his consultation tour in Ebonyi because of quest for inclusiveness in governance.

     

    He commended the state governor for developmental strides and leadership prowess.

     

    “There is a high level of un-inclusiveness in the country. We must choose leaders that have capacity to move the country forward. What you are seeing in Ebonyi is not by chance, it is because your governor has capacity that that is why you are witnessing development. How then can you choose a man with capacity in your state without choosing also a leader with capacity at the national level.

     

    “We will fight poverty; we will fight corruption too and not do selective anti-corruption fight. We will develop solid minerals in Ebonyi State. We will bring private investors into the country and turn around youth involvement in governance by bringing youths to governance,” he said.

     

    Responding, Governor Umahi described Senator Saraki as a refined Nigerian and defender of democracy as well as friend to Ebonyi State.

     

    Governor Umahi reiterated his earlier promise to return power to Abakaliki bloc in 2023 after his second term, adding that his administration remains focused on the developmental agenda.

     

    “We will hand over a state that is most beautiful, best economy and richest in the country”

     

    He commended Saraki for standing firm over the various crises and urged that the National Assembly must work together to unite the country and turn its fortunes to the best.

     

    He called on the Senate President to look into cost of projects in the country to stop profligacy in execution of projects in the country.

     

    Earlier, members of the state Executive Council, led by the Deputy Governor, Kelechi Igwe had presented to Mr Umahi, the governorship nomination form which they purchased for him.

  • Saraki’s presidential aspiration a joke, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterday that Senate President Bukola Saraki lacked the capacity to become the president.

    It described his aspiration as a joke.

    The party challenged the Senate president to showcase his achievement in his eight years in office as Kwara State governor, which qualified him for president.

    It said a presidential aspirant, who promised to create jobs and infrastructures, should have evidence of his past achievements in that area.

    Acting National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena said in a statement in Abuja that as Senate president, Saraki used the position to superintend over budget padding, sabotage the executive by frustrating confirmation of presidential nominees, among others.

    The statement reads: “At last, Senate President Bukola Saraki has declared his intention to run for the president. While the All Progressives Congress (APC) welcomes him to the race, as it is his right to do so as a Nigerian, there are, however, issues that border on his integrity, antecedents, competence and capability to preside over the country.

    “We are not unaware of reports that Saraki’s presidential declaration is his tactic to deflect attention from the deluge of issues he deals with, particularly ahead of the 2019 general election, i.e. pressure to reconvene the National Assembly, a fast shifting political order in Kwara State, among others.

    “Saraki in his declaration speech said among others:

    • I have decided to heed the call of teeming youths, who have asked me to run for the president.
    • I have what it takes to secure inclusive growth for Nigeria.
    • I will address our infrastructural deficiency through aggressive financial initiatives.
    • Our fight against corruption will be on deterrence.
    • I offer leadership driven by empathy.

    “On these few points, we are mindful of the popular axiom: “By their fruits, we shall know them”. By virtue of Saraki’s antecedents, he is an abysmal failure and is incompetent to offer himself as a candidate for leadership of Nigeria.

    “As Kwara State governor, was his Shonga Agricultural Programme not a white elephant project in which hundreds of millions of state funds were sunk into?

    “The infrastructure, particularly road network in Kwara State, in which the present administration remains under his tight grip and political machinations long after leaving office, remains deplorable while state resources are mismanaged through corrupt enrichment.

    “A presidential aspirant, who promises to create jobs and turn around the economy at the national level, must have done so in a state he served as governor for eight years. We challenge Saraki to give the nation his scorecard as Kwara State governor.

    “As Senate president, how Saraki used the position to superintend over budget padding, sabotage of the executive by frustrating confirmation of presidential nominees, stalling legislative approvals for election budgets and his recent shadow boxing on the Electoral Act, among other treacherous actions against the APC (which he was then a member), in pursuit of his selfish political interests, has been well reported.

    “Was Saraki’s Senate presidency not a journey of shame and disgrace? – moving from one court or tribunal to another over charges of forgery of Senate rules, false declaration of assets, and being linked with robbers, who brutally killed and maimed innocent residents in Offa recently.

    “Saraki says he is heeding the call of Nigerian youths to contest for the president. We are not aware of any meeting of Nigerian youths held during which they decided that. For the record, the #NotTooYoungToRun group berated Saraki for selfishly using their forum to make his presidential declaration.

    “We are not surprised by Saraki’s selfish actions, as it has come to define his politics and persona. Saraki says he will offer leadership driven by empathy. Coming from an incredibly selfish and self-opinionated politician, this is indeed an irony.

    “Saraki’s presidential aspiration is a huge joke and should not be taken seriously. He has repeatedly displayed his character as extremely selfish, deceitful, untrustworthy and unreliable. His only goal is to get to the top, stay at the top, ruin or wreck whatever he finds there or in the event of failure, collapse the system or process.

    “Nigerians have had enough of Dr. Bukola Saraki’s retrogressive and disruptive style of politics and deserve no more.”

     

     

  • Saraki condemns raid on Edwin Clark’s residence

    …Seeks Probe

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday condemned the search in the Abuja home of nonagenarian, Chief Edwin Clark, by the police.

    He described the action of the police as “unwarranted” and called for an “open, comprehensive investigation into the incident.”

    While insisting that the search was “unwarranted harassment of the statesman who is known for being very vocal in expressing his views on national issues”, Saraki stated that the incident must not be allowed to be covered up without the public knowing all the details, particularly concerning who gave the order, who signed the police search warrant, which officers executed it and what objective was it meant to serve.

    This is contained in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Senate President, Yusuph Olaniyonu.

    Saraki said, “Chief Edwin Clark, a Second Republic Senator, former minister under the General Gowon administration is not just anybody. Yes, he is not above the law. If there is a genuine reason for his home to be searched by law enforcement agencies, nobody will object to it. However, as it now appears, for the Police to conduct a raid on the home of a man of that age on the pretense that they were looking for arms and eventually, the claim turned out to be a hoax, then something must be amiss.

    Read Also: Edwin Clark: I got information from a taxi driver, says Informant

    “This type of action by the Police coming at this time when the nation is preparing for election is not reflecting well on the country. Such actions constitute a threat to democracy. They represent gross abuse of state institutions. Now that the Inspector General of Police has denied that the raid was never authorized, the next move should be a thorough, transparent investigation into the Senator Edwin Clark incident to prevent future occurrence.

    “This kind of ugly development must stop. This country experienced peaceful change in 2015 because the government in power allowed democracy to work. If the government had allowed the flagrant abuse and misuse of state institutions to be the norm, we would not have had the change that occurred.”

    Saraki reminded the government of its recent commitment to world leaders on the need to create a peaceful and conducive atmosphere necessary for a credible, free and fair elections where citizens can freely exercise their franchise, devoid of intimidation, suppression and abuse of their fundamental human rights.

    He noted that incidents like the one in the home of Chief Clark is in conflict with the promise the government made to these world leaders.

    “Democracy is not only about elections. Circumstances that will create tension in any part of the country or make people feel that their fundamental human rights are being trampled upon should be avoided. If a man of the calibre and status of Senator Edwin Clark could suffer such unwarranted raid on his home, then what happens to ordinary Nigerians as we move towards the 2019 polls and beyond?”, he asked.

  • Aides threaten to drag Saraki, Sani-Omolori to EFCC, ICPC over ‘N4b debt’

    Aides to federal lawmakers are threatening to take Senate President Bukola Saraki and Clerk to National Assembly (CNA) Mohammed Sani-Omolori to anti-corruption agencies.

    This followed alleged non-payment of their allowances and other entitlements for the past three years.

    The workers, under the aegis of National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum (NASSLAF), are protesting the confusion trailing the alleged non-payment of the entitlements totalling more than N4billion, which include Duty Tour Allowance (DTA), 28 per cent salary increment, among others.

    The aides also threatened to shut the National Assembly.

    They protested yesterday at the lobby of the White House before a meeting of the executive members and the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly.

    The protesters sang war songs. They carried placards. One of them read: “We are aides, not slaves”

    The Chairman of the aides’ forum, Sam Melaye, said: “The protest is about our allowances and entitlements. It has become clear to us that they are now passing the buck. The Senate president, who is the chairman of the National Assembly, said the CNA is responsible for our plight, and the CNA is now in turn accusing the Senate president of being responsible for the situation we have been subjected to.

    “But at this point, it doesn’t really matter who is responsible, all we are saying is pay us our entitlements.

    “Our DTA has not been paid for 10 quarters and that’s over N2billion. We are supposed to be trained twice in a year. This has not happened in the last three years and that is supposed to gulp over N2billion and training allowances, which is based on calculation of N1billion per year, is N3billion now.

    “By laid down procedures and yearly budgetary provisions of N250million on a quarterly basis, each of the legislatives aides is expected to go for training on the template of capacity building, the totality of which is N1billion per year, but for the past three years, no category of the aides has been sent on any training, let alone paid the required allowances.

    “All we are saying is that the National Assembly should do the needful

    Read also: Saraki visits Gov. Emmanuel

    “We are going to meet the Acting CNA, since the CNA is not around, but I want to believe that the outcome of the meeting will be favorable to us. But if it is not favourable, we will take on the next step of writing anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), in order for them to pay us our entitlements.

    “If our demands are not met, we will shut down the National Assembly.

    “Although there had been protests over this same issue in the past, this is the first time I’m leading protest as the chairman of Legislative Aides Forum and I can assure you, there will be no retreat, no surrender.”

    After its meeting with the Acting CNA, who is also the Clerk to the Senate, Nelson Ayewoh, the group gave an ultimatum of September 14 after which if its demands were not met, it would begin next plan of action.

    National Assembly spokesman Rawlings Agada, who spoke with The Nation on the phone, said the issue will be resolved as soon as the CNA returns from his official assignment outside the country.

    Agada, who said he was not around the complex when the protest took place, however believed that the problem could be as a result of administrative or fund release challenge.