The All Progressives Congress, APC, has launched a fierce attack on the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, describing his performance at weekend’s presidential primaries of Peoples Democratic Party PDP as a befitting end to his ambition.
The party in a statement by Yekini Nabena, its acting National Publicity Secretary, said with a miserly 317 votes compared to two other leading contenders, PDP delegates had shown that they were now fed up with Saraki’s style of politics.
But Saraki in a swift reaction asked the APC and its spokesman to be more concerned with the crisis within the party than pry into his affairs and that of PDP.
APC statement reads: “The disappointing performance of Senator Bukola Saraki at the Presidential Election Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP is a befitting end to the ambition of a greedy, untrustworthy and double-dealing politician.
“With a miserly 317 votes, behind Aminu Tambuwal’s 693 votes and Atiku Abubakar’s 1532 votes, the PDP delegates have given clear indication that they are fed up with Saraki’s political style.
”When a leader cannot be trusted, cannot be relied upon, and cannot keep agreements, the people take due cognizance and records of these actions and respond with their votes at the appropriate time.
“How will someone who emerged Senate President through conspiracy with members of the opposition party and against the wishes and interests of his own party be trusted to be elected as the presidential candidate of a party? Even on his being elected to the position, did Saraki acquit himself creditably?
“Throughout Saraki’s tenure as Senate president, it has been one confrontation or another between the National Assembly leadership and the Executive.
”Confirmation of Executive nominees sent to the Senate for confirmation has been delayed unnecessarily, annual national budgets delayed.
”For instance, the supplementary budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the 2019 general elections is continually delayed due to Saraki’s selfish political machinations.
“A selfish Saraki will rather than perform his constitutional legislative functions by ensuring timely consideration and passage of Executive bills, will rather sabotage the efforts of the Executive in furtherance of his treacherous politics.
“Having sabotaged the President Muhammadu Buhari government while in the APC, he later showed his true colours by formally joining the opposition PDP.
”The APC bade him goodbye as he returned to the looters club where he belongs. However, in doing so, Saraki must do the needful by giving up the Senate President position.
”He should be a distinguished Senator in name and in deed. He cannot continue to preside over the APC-dominated Senate as a member of the minority PDP.
“The delegates of the PDP have rejected Saraki as their presidential candidate. Let the Senators also do likewise by rejecting the greedy, deceitful and unreliable Senate President as their leader. A new President of the Senate, free from all allegations of criminality is needed now,” APC declared.
Reacting to APC’s diatribe, Saraki in a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, said: ”We have noted the irresponsible statement issued by the APC spokesman, Yekinni Nabena. We know that he and the leadership of the APC are always incensed and disturbed at the mere hearing of the name, Saraki.
”It is also notable that Nabena and the APC are always concerned about the developments in the opposition party, the PDP.
”However, we believe that with the ‘civil war’ that Adams Oshiomhole and Yekini Nabena have ignited in the APC and the very low level they have dragged the party, in such manner that the ruling party is wallowing in confusion and disorganization.
”They have too much to pre-occupy them than to be poking their noses in what happens to Saraki or the PDP.”
