ERSTWHILE Kwara State governor, Bukola Saraki, has said his actions and comments in the Senate were borne out of his commitment to good governance,rule of law, equity, fairness, adherence to the constitution and protection of the nation’s democracy, denying that he was keen on becoming the Senate President.
He also disclosed that senators, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress, (APC), may this week publicly declare for the party.
The former governor, who spoke with journalists in Ilorin on the political situation in the country, denied that he wanted the Senate Presidency, saying: “It would be unfortunate for anyone to equate my actions to my wanting Senator David Mark’s job. I do not, but I will not succumb to cheap blackmail that my intent was all about naked ambition or personal interest”.
He said with only a year to election and possibly only six months of active legislative activities left, it would be illogical for him to dissipate time and energy seeking Mark’s seat.
“But as a leader, there will be issues that I will continue to speak and stand on for the interest of the Senate and in my view, the interest of our nation”, he noted.
To buttress his point, Saraki recalled that in September 2011, he demanded transparency and accountability in the management of the fuel subsidy scheme.
“Then, I was called names and l was told I did not like the President, that it was all about 2015 election and that my figures were grossly inaccurate. Now, the facts have shown otherwise.”
He also recalled the PDP crisis, when some governors and National Assembly members challenged the impunity of the former chairman, Bamanga Tukur, but were called names, only for them to be vindicated by the turnout of events.
He also referred to the provisions of Section 215 (4) of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulate the power and authority of a governor as the Chief Security Officer of the state, whereby he can give orders and instructions to the Commissioner of Police of his state within the confines of the constitution. He pointed out that “where such a Commissioner of Police disobeys the governor’s instructions, like in Rivers State, we cannot keep quiet because this is tantamount to the breach of the constitution.
“It is our belief that the Inspector General of Police has the experience, capability and maturity to manage crisis, except if there are factors above him that impede his abilities to discharge his duties.
“It is a known fact, practice and procedure that the Nigeria Police authorities under the IG have more than 100 Commissioners of Police who could be moved or redeployed, especially where a governor requires a Commissioner of Police to be moved in view of inability to work together in the interest of that state.
It would be expected that the IGP agrees with such governor and redeploys the commissioner and if after such redeployment, the governor further complains, then we all know where the problem lies.”
Saraki also expressed his delight that the Senate has undertaken to ensure accountability by looking into the controversial issue of missing billions of dollars.
According to the senator representing Kwara-Central, Saraki, yesterday in Ilorin, letters of the senators’ declaration had been signed and would, this week, be submitted to the Senate, adding that there was no going back for the former PDP senators from defecting to the APC.
Besides, he said that consultations had been concluded with members of his senatorial district on the planned defection to the APC as a senator, describing the PDP as a party devoid of internal democracy.
Saraki, who said the defection was normal and a sure way to sanitise the nation’s polity, added that he believed that none of the senators planning the defection was doing that for selfish reason.
He debunked claims in some quarters that the party had elected its local officials, noting that no party officer could have emerged without a convention.
Saraki said only a faction of the former PDP in the state declined the offer to join the APC, assuring that the population of the members of the new party was enough to win any election in the state all at levels.
Saraki, however, commended President Goodluck Jonathan for outlawing same sex-marriage in the country, describing it as a true reflection of the position of many Nigerians on the issue.
Source: Guardian.
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