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Tag: Saraki

  • APC to Saraki: Resign Now

  • ‘Don’t induce senators to remove Saraki’

    THE leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of inducing senators to remove Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    The opposition party also alleged that the government was in the process of forcing the reopening of the Senate, contrary to Section 12 of the Senate Standing Rules.

    But the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus and the South East Caucus in the House of Representatives have again warned their colleagues in the Senate to shelve any plot to remove Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.

    In a statement yesterday issued by the House Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyema, the lawmakers said some senators are planning an invasion of the Senate chamber in conjunction with security agencies.

    The Senate is presently on annual recess and is expected to resume session on September 25.

    The Presidency, however, said its call for the National Assembly to resume duties was to enable the federal legislature process the 2019 election budget for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    President Muhammadu Buhari had, a week before the National Assembly proceeded on its annual vacation, submitted a budget of N242 billion for the INEC for the consideration of the lawmakers.

    At a media briefing at its Abuja secretariat yesterday, the PDP queried the timing of the submission of the INEC budget seven months to the general elections.

    Besides, the party, through its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the Presidency did not have the powers to order or call for the reopening of the National Assembly, as suggested by the presidential liaison officer for the Senate, Ita Enang.

    Ologbondiyan said: “What Enang had done is just a mere wish. He does not have the power to order or call for the reopening of the Senate.  He is just expressing his personal wishes.

    “As a matter of fact, Senator Ita Enang had been the chairman of the Senate Rules and Business Committee both in the House and in and the Senate. Would he have listened to anybody from outside the chamber to come and dictate to the presiding officers?

    “It is unfortunate that people who have experience in legislative practices and procedures, when they get to the executive arm, instead of telling the executive the limit of their powers, they pretend to know it all,  and by so doing, they mislead the executives. That is exactly what Enang is doing.

    Also, the PDP caucus in the House of Representatives, in statement, said: “It has come to our attention that there is an impending plot by a small group of senators aided by security agencies to again invade the Senate Chamber with a view to illegally reconvening the Senate plenary.

    “Ostensibly, their purpose is to address what they term as urgent national issues. However, it is clear that their real purpose is an attempt to unlawfully oust the Senate leadership and effect a change of the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President.”

    The lawmakers said the trend of events “must be strenuously resisted by all true democrats and well-meaning Nigerians”.

    The South East Caucus in the House warned that it would hold Senator Ali Ndume and his group in the Senate responsible if Ekweremadu should meet with any harm.

    The caucus, in a statement yesterday by its leader, Onyema, accused Ndume of interfering in the statutory and professional job of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

  • Saraki, others, never supported Buhari in Senate, says Omo-Agege

    Senator Ovie Omo-Agege said yesterday that Senate President Bukola Saraki as the presiding officer, never supported President Muhammmau Buhari in the Senate.

    He said his exit from the ruling party would not lead to a major loss by the APC.

    He said: “Defections are bound to happen, mostly at this season. Those who left went to their natural habitat. These are people who had never supported President Mohammadu Buhari, especially in the Senate.

    “We are glad that they have gone, so you can see that those who are left now are those who will champion the cause of Buhari. We are not and have never regretted that they have gone, it gives us an insight to know the true APC members in the house.

    Omo-Agege spoke at an event in Emevor, Ughelli South local government area of Delta State, which was attended by  APC National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Delta State APC Chairman Jones Ode Erue and Partyy chief Great Ogboru.

    On which party holds the majority in the Senate he said “All I can tell you is that APC has 52 senators, PDP has 49, ADC 2, APGA 2 and there are two vacancies.

    “Those two vacancies will be filled on the 11th of this month and those elections are going to be held in our party (APC) stronghold; Katsina and Bauchi states. Even without those two seats, APC commands majority in the senate.

    “With respect to the senate president, he knows or he ought to know that the right thing for him to do is to step down. There is no way he can continue to lead the senate when he now belongs to the minority party and he knows that.

    On whether the mass defections will affect the reelection of President Mohammadu Buhari, he said, “I will tell you that as they are leaving APC, we also have people from PDP who are also coming, especially what is happening in Kwara State. While those in APC are going to PDP, those in PDP left to APC

    Minister of Infoormation Lai Mohammed speaking in Lagos at the weekend said the day Saraki lobbied the opposition party to become the Senate President, the relationship between the executive and legislature had been turbulent.

    “In fact, we could not have suffered more as an executive in the hands of the legislature if a PDP person had been the senate president,” he said.

    He denied the allegation of lopsided appointment in Kwarans by the Buhari administration. “No fewer than 24 indigenes of Kwara were given federal appointments of which I only recommended two while the Senate President recommended 20.”

    On those complaining of not being given “juicy appointments”, the minister said people complaining were not ready to serve and turn things around but eyeing what to steal.

    “It is not true that a particular part of the country is being favoured against the other. I challenge anybody to go to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and take out the list of appointees under this administration; you willsee that we have been fair to all.

  • ‘Saraki, Tambuwal, Ortom defections won’t affect Buhari’s re-election’

    The APC yesterday explained that the defection pf Senate President Bokola Saraki and three governors to the PDP will not affect President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection.

    Acting National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena said the defectors lacked the political clout to undermine the goodwill of the President at the grassroots

    Nabena said: “I can tell you authoritatively that the defections will not affect the President’s re-election. It is a public knowledge that Saraki’s popularity is limited to Kwara. He does not have any power to determine what happens in Kogi or other North Central states where the President still enjoys substantial support.

    “Please note that Saraki’s popularity is limited to Kwara alone. He has to contend with latest agitation from certain people who are now questioning what he has done for the state in the last 15 years. You will recall that when the deadly Offa robbery took place, there was no single Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) in the state to confront the robbers. That shows lack of development.

    “When you talk of Tambuwal, you all know that he is not in control of Sokoto State. His godfather Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, whose structure he used to become governor, is still with us. You have seen what happened when Wammako visited Sokoto on Saturday.

    “In Sokoto, the deputy governor, two senators, nine members of the House of Representatives, 12 out of the 30 State House of Assembly members and the massive supporters in the state are with us

    “For Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom is facing crisis of acceptance. He has to contend with those who have been working to ensure that PDP is still a strong party in the state former Governor Gabriel Suswam. He will also prove that Senator George Akume is not a household name in Benue. Time will tell who controls Benue in due course.

    Regarding other defecting lawmakers, most of them must get the tickets to run first while it is certain most of them will not win their re-election.

  • Saraki frustrated govt’s projects through budgets’ delay, says minister

    THE Muhammadu Buhari led administration has accused Senate President Bukola Saraki of frustrating the pace of government’s projects through deliberate delay of the annual budgets in the National Assembly.

    Speaking during an interview at the weekend, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, also described as fake news reports penultimate Tuesday of the siege to the home of the Senate President, saying that nothing like that happened.

    Mohammed, who spoke to reporters in Lagos on the impact of the National Assembly members’ defections on the government, dismissed claims by Saraki that he did not get any appointment in the Buhari government and claims by Governor Aminu Tambuwal that his state was starved of Federal Government projects.

    Mohammed said: “We have a National Assembly in which we had a clear majority in both houses, but which treated the Executive with contempt and slowing down the work of government. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, our budgets were delayed. We can understand 2015 budget because we came in, in the middle of the year. But 2016, 2017, the earliest we got our budgets was June.

    “Key appointments, nominations and confirmations for key organisations that could move the government forward like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), like the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), were delayed. Really, it couldn’t have been worse if the PDP had a majority in the National Assembly.

    “The fundamental thing is that for us, it would have been better that they left a long time earlier because they have strangulated this government for too long. When you are now being betrayed by your own party is more painful because we can’t fight back as much as we want to fight back.

    “I just want to establish that the foundation of what you are seeing today was laid as far back as the day he became Senate President.”

    Asked to respond to the siege to the residence of the Senate President penultimate Tuesday, he said: “It was fake news, it didn’t happen. I called the IG and the Police PRO went on television that it was not true.”

    He said the exit of Saraki from the APC was for the people of Kwara State like an independence.

    On Saraki’s allegation on appointments, he said: “I think it is a blatant lie that Kwara State was not considered in appointments. There are 26 appointees to boards, parastatals, either as members or DG to Kwara State and of these 26, I recommended only two. The other 24 were done by Dr. Bukola Saraki.”

    But in a reaction, the Special Adviser (Media and Publicity to Senate President, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said: “I am surprised that a man who speaks for the government will be spewing forth blatant lies like Mohammed is doing. No wonder people do not believe him when he speaks about government policies. Now, Mr. Mohammed has a new obsession and game – to be concocting lies against Saraki.

    “His claims is making Saraki appears like a superman. The one senator who can decide for 108 colleagues, among whom he is merely a first among equals, a primus inter pares. Mohammed because of his ignorance about how the legislature  works thinks that the Senate President is an all-powerful Chief Executive to whom all others in the chamber bow.

    “He is talking as if the passage of budget is a responsibility of the Senate alone.”

  • Offa robbery: Court orders service of summons on Saraki

    A court in Abuja has ordered the service of summons on the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in relation to the ongoing investigation by the police into the April 5, 2018 bank robbery incident in Offa, Kwara State.

    Justice Abdullahi Garuba Ogbede of the Grade 1 Area Court, ACO Estate, Lugbe, FCT, Abuja, issued the criminal summons and ordered its service on Saraki following a criminal complaint made against the Senate President by an Abuja-based lawyer and rights activist, Oluwatosin Ojaomo, acting under Section Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

    When the case was called yesterday, complainant’s lawyer, E. S. Marcus, told the court that the defendant was absent in court despite the efforts made by an official of the court to serve the defendant with summons issued on July 31 this year.

    Following Marcus’ complaint, Justice Ogbede invited the court’s official, Abdullahi Umar Kutigi, who informed the court that he was prevented by security personnel at the National Assembly from serving the defendant when he visited the place.

    The judge said since there was no evidence that proper service had been effected on the defendant, it was difficult for the court to take any further steps on the case.

    He added: “The process was not served on the defendant. So, it is ordered that a proper service shall be made on the defendant. This matter is adjourned the 10th of September for mention.”

    Ojaomo’s contention, in the complaint marked CR/196/2018, is to the effect that Saraki’s alleged refusal to honour an invitation purportedly sent to him by the police, in relation to the ongoing Offa robbery investigation, amounted to “obstructing a criminal investigation and disobeying a public officer carrying out a lawful responsibility.”

    The criminal complaint, a copy of which The Nation sighted yesterday, reads: “Criminal complaint brought pursuant to Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. Please, cause a summons for a direct criminal complaint on the defendant on the following terms:

    “That you, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on or about the 24th day of July 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did refuse to honour the invitation of the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force to report at the police headquarters in FCT, Abuja to answer to an allegation involving the investigation of some criminal suspects involved in a case which the Nigeria Police Force is currently investigating, thereby obstructing a criminal investigation and disobeying a public officer carrying out a lawful responsibility .

    “You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 136 and 149 of the Penal Code Law. Whereas, the complainant is praying the court to charge the defendant accordingly.”

  • Defection: Saraki has stepped on banana peel–Senator Adamu

    The Leader, Buhari Parliamentary Support Group, Senator  Abdullahi Adamu (APC-Nasarawa),  said yesterday that Senate President Bukola Saraki  should be prepared to bear the consequences of his defection from the All Progressives Congress(APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The former Nasarawa State governor told reporters in Abuja that Saraki, by his defection, had “stepped on banana peel and should be prepared to bear the consequences.”

    ”If Saraki knows political intricacies and the political terrain or the path where the banana peel in political landscape is, he will be more cautious,” Adamu said, adding:”the way he is going now, he has obviously stepped on banana peel and only God knows how far he will slip.

    “I will not pretend. I think he made a mistake and he took a wrong decision. He will have stories to tell along the line.

    “It was not the best he could have done. He had a duty to his father to keep the flag of the family flying but the way he is going, I do not think he is doing that.”

    He then urged Saraki to step down to avert consequences, adding that “he should honourably return the crown or be ready to bear the consequences.”

    Adamu vowed that with the defection, it would not be business as usual.

    He explained that “the defection of Saraki and the other lawmakers is a game changer.

    “We expect them to do it amicably and peacefully. They should make sure they do not run away with our crown.

    “If they think they will go and nothing will happen and that it will be business as usual, then they need to think again.

    “I will not say whether we will take steps or not take steps. We hope that between now and resumption of Senate plenary, more events will unfold. We do not want to be in a hurry to speculate.”

    The lawmaker, however, said that if Saraki insisted on leading a senate with majority of lawmakers from the APC, there would be repercussions.

    On the belief that Saraki did not do anything constitutionally wrong by defecting, and that there was a precedent where former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, defected but remained the Speaker, Adamu said: “It will not happen this time. We are more educated on the rules now.”

    On gale of defections from the ruling party, Adamu said he would not want any member to leave the party again, noting, however, that it was a free world and everyone was at liberty to join the party of his or her choice.

    “Before the defection, we spoke with some of them, but they insisted on defecting with Saraki. We will see where it will take them. They are expecting automatic tickets. For me, it is automatic ticket to failure. They will have and they will fail. Write it down,” he said.

  • Offa robbery: Court orders service of summons on Saraki

    A court in Abuja has ordered the service of summons on the Senate President, Bukola Saraki in relation to the ongoing investigation by the police into the April 5, 2018 bank robbery incident in Offa, Kwara State.

    Justice Abdullahi Garuba Ogbede of the Grade 1 Area Court, ACO Estate, Lugbe, FCT, Abuja issued the criminal summons and ordered its service on Saraki following a criminal complaint made against the Senate President by an Abuja-based lawyer and rights activist, Oluwatosin Ojaomo, acting under Section Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

    When the case was called on Friday, complainant’s lawyer, E. S. Marcus told the court that the defendant was absent in court despite made by an official of the court to serve the defendant with summons issued on July 31 this year.

    Following Marcus’ complaint, Justice Ogbede invited the court’s official, Abdullahi Umar Kutigi, who informed the court that he was prevented from serving the defendant by security personnel at the National Assembly when he visited the place.

    The judge said since there was no evidence that proper service has been effected on the defendant, it was difficult for the court to take any further steps on the case.

    Read Also: Why we welcome Saraki, Ahmed, others – Kwara PDP

    He added: “The process was not served on the defendant. So, it is ordered that a proper service shall be made on the defendant. This matter is adjourned the 10th of September for mention.”

    Ojaomo’s contention, in the complaint marked: CR/196/2018, is to the effect that Saraki’s alleged refusal to honour an invitation purportedly sent to him by the police, in relation to the ongoing Offa robbery investigation amounted to the offences of “obstructing a criminal investigation and disobeying a public officer carrying out a lawful responsibility.”

    The criminal complaint, a copy of which The Nation sighted on Friday, reads: “Criminal complaint brought pursuant to Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. Please, cause a summons for a direct criminal complaint on the defendant on the following terms:

    “That you, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on or about the 24th day of July 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did refuse to honour the invitation of the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force to report at the police headquarters in FCT, Abuja to answer to an allegation involving the investigation of some criminal suspects involved in a case which the Nigeria Police Force is currently investigating, thereby obstructing a criminal investigation and disobeying a public officer carrying out a lawful responsibility .

    “You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 136 and 149 of the Penal Code Law. Whereas, the complainant is praying the court to charge the defendant accordingly.”

  • Why we welcome Saraki, Ahmed, others – Kwara PDP

    Stakeholders in the Peoples Democracy Party ( PDP ), Kwara State say the gale of defections hitting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has given the party the numerical strength to dislodge President Muhammadu Buhari from Aso Rock Villa in 2019.

    The Kwara State Deputy Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Sanni Abubakar who led other major stakeholders of the party, including a former deputy governor and a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, stated this in Ilorin on Friday during a Press Conference at the Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

    According to the stakeholders, which also included the party’s Treasurer, Assistant Secretary, and State Women Leader, the party gladly “welcomes the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, the State Governor, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed and other returnees to the party”.

    “The defection has increased the numerical strength of the PDP across the country and positions it to dislodge the All Progressives Congress-led federal government”, the group said.

    “It is with great delight and enthusiasm that we welcome these honourable and distinguished members to our party. It is, indeed, a reunion of old and long time friends and associates who have jointly contributed in no small measures to the development of Nigeria; a day we in the Peoples Democratic Party have long anxiously waited for”, the group said.

    The stakeholders accused some of their members of “having nocturnal meetings in Abuja with a view to mortgaging our collective destiny on the alter of personal but selfish gains”, saying that “such members are not only egocentric but driven by inferiority complex and pathological hatred and envy for Saraki”.

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

    The group believes that “if Saraki, as the Senate President and chairman of the National Assembly, can be treated with so much disdain and disrespect despite his contributions, along with others, to the success of the APC in 2015, one can imagine what is likely to befall folks without any political pedigree, like those crying wolfs where none existed”.

    The stakeholders called members of the party in the state to respect the right of every member and work in unison in the interest of the party and the country at large.

    “We appeal to all members of the PDP to be receptive to the new members and prospective members and build a stronger, united and acceptable party at all levels”.

    Also speaking, a Former Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Chief Joel Ogundeji charged politicians in the country to eschew politics of bitterness.

    Chief Ogundeji who noted that politics is a game of numbers said making Kwara state a better place under the tutelage of Peoples Democratic Party is paramount.

  • Buhari tells Saraki, other defectors: you’re bad eggs

    PDP seals deal with 39 parties

    Wammako hits Tambuwal

    Kwara PDP chief joins APC

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday referred to defectors from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as “bad eggs”.

    He said as the 2019 elections approach, “God will continue to fish out the bad eggs among us”.

    He reiterated his resolve to ensure that nobody is allowed to loot the treasury.

    Said Buhari: “What I will never exhibit is to allow selfish politicians loot public treasury and allow the masses be cheated.

    “All what we are doing is in the interest of the people and our dear country.

    “I pray to God to expose sycophants that are still within our party, who are bent on trying to loot our resources.”

    APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole said the defectors were afraid of the government’s anti-corruption war, adding that many of the looters of the treasury during the 16 years of the PDP administrations would end up in jail.

    They spoke in Bauchi yesterday while campaigning for the APC candidate in the August 11 Bauchi South senatorial by-election.

    The seat became vacant following the death of Senator Ali Wakili. The APC candidate is Hon. Gumau Lawal Yahaya.

    The President urged party faithful not to be perturbed by the defections.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki and three governors – Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Ahmed Abdulfattah (Kwara) led the defectors.

    Buhari said: “The work we are doing is because of God, our country and you. I want to inform you that with the knowledge we have garnered over the years, we won’t allow you to be cheated.

    “Like we promised, what will determine a good future for the country are security, strong economy and to stop corruption.

    “We campaigned on these things, you voted for us and we will never forget.”

    “The President got a thunderous applause from party supporters at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi, venue of the rally.

    Buhari endorsed the candidate saying: “We have confidence in him and we trust him.”

    He praised the crowd for defying the downpour to turn out in large numbers for the rally.

    Lambasting the defectors, Oshiomhole said:

    “This is a clear indication that some of them (defectors) have been sharing the country’s resources for 16 years, but failed to do that in the last three years.

    “ Most of them are afraid of the anti-corruption crusade being waged by this administration, and are sure that most of them will find themselves behind bars.

    “There is no going back on sending those found wanting to jail, no matter how highly placed they are.

    “We are happy over such defection because we are fed up with the nefarious activities being perpetrated by them.”

    Bauchi State Governor Muhammed Abubakar blamed members of the National Assembly for the country’s under-development, adding that he was happy that “most of them are leaving our party”.

    He called on Bauchi South Senatorial District to vote for the APC candidate.

    The APC’s state chairman, Alhaji Uba Nana, said defections had not affected the party in the state.

    He said instead of members defecting to other parties, the APC in the state had witnessed a mass influx of people from other parties.

    The chairman said 25 other political parties in the state had formed an alliance with the APC to enable the party emerge victorious in the by-election.

    Governors Simon Lalong (Plateau), Abdulahi Ganduje (Kano) and Rochas Okorocha (Imo) were at the rally.

    House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, who hails from the senatorial district, did not attend the rally. He is among members of the APC believed to be on their way to the PDP.

    Also yesterday, the PDP National Executive Commmittee (NEC) met in Abuja.

    The meeting formally received Senate President Bukola Saraki, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal – who just defected – to the opposition party.

    Saraki told the meeting: “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.”

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

    He said: “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”.

    Senator Aliyu Wamakko faulted Tambuwal’s defection, saying he made a “the worst decision in his life.”

    He said Sokoto State would remain an All Progressives Congress (APC) state in spite of the governor’s exit.

    In Abuja, the PDP sealed its alliance with a coalition of 39 political parties to fight the ruling APC.

    Secondus said it was time for the coalition to rescue Nigeria from the “misgovernance”, which h said is typified by senseless killing of innocent Nigerians and harassment of opposition elements.

    A National Executive Committee ( NEC) member of the PDP from Kwara state, Hon. Ahmed Yinka Aluko, has defectedto the All Progressive Congress( APC).

    Aluko, who was the deputy governorship candidate in the 2015 elections resigned his elective position and membership of PDP during the party’ s NEC meeting yesterday.

    The former Special Adviser on Security matters in Kwara State accused the opposition of impunity and undemocratic practices.

    Aluko said he was irked by the decision of PDP National leadership to hand over the structure to Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    He said: ” It is therefore shocking that the party at the national level has resolved to hand over the party structures and all electable positions to defectors without any regards for those who stood by the party and built it Into a strong winning machine in Kwara. It is even more shocking that as the only national officer from Kwara state I was not consulted”.

    This National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Olu Falae.

    He said: “We must be wary of those who will come to scatter us by trying to sow seeds of discord, spread fake news and adopt divisible measures to achieve their sinister motive”, Falae added