SARAKI LACKS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO SUMMON PS – SENATOR

The Senator representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District, Kabir Marafa, said on Sunday that the Senate President lacked both moral and constitutional rights to summon the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, for briefing on the state of the economy.
Marafa, the spokesperson for the Senate Unity Forum, who stated this in a statement issued in Abuja, noted that since Saraki had allegedly violated some sections of the constitution to emerge as senate president on June 9, he cannot accuse another person of committing the same offence he had committed.
Our correspondent had reported that the decision of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance and other top officials to decline an invitation extended to them by the leadership of the National Assembly for a briefing on the state of the nation’s economy last week was currently brewing a major face-off between the two arms of government.

HOW TINUBU-SARAKI WAR STARTED

The open feud between the camps of a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu and the Senate president, Bukola Saraki reportedly had its root in the well-orchestrated opposition to the emergence of a muslim running mate to President Muhammadu Buhari, Saturday Tribune’s checks have revealed.
In the build-up to the National Assembly leadership contest, Tinubu had stoutly stood against Saraki’s ambition to lead the National Assembly as the Senate president, while showing preference, first, for former Minority Leader, Senator George Akume and later Senator Ahmed Lawan.
It was, however, gathered that Tinubu’s disavowal of Saraki was predicated on the role the Senate president reportedly played in stopping him (Tinubu) from emerging as Buhari’s running mate in the course of searching for the vice-presidential candidate for the party.

LIES SPONSORED AGAINST ME, WILL NOT CHANGE MY FOCUS TO DELIVER – SARAKI

Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Friday reassured Nigerians to deliver on his mandate in making sound legislations that will impact their lives for good, while stressing that the many lies sponsored against his person will not change his focus.
Saraki, made the remarks on his Twitter handle in reaction to activities of some undisclosed online platforms which he accused of being sponsored by mischief makers to post all sorts of negative lies against him

SARAKI: THERE WAS NO DEAL OVER EKWEREMADU'S EMERGENCE

· Says he was not aware or invited to APC meeting with Buhari     

· Tinubu, Atiku set to clash over BoT chairmanship

With the ruling All Progressives Congress still coming to terms with the controversial emergence of principal officers of the National Assembly, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said he never intentionally spurned his party’s position on the choice of the officers. He also denied striking a deal with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which led to the emergence of a PDP senator as deputy senate president.

In his first public comment since the inauguration of National Assembly on June 9, Saraki, whose election as senate president provoked strong disapproval from APC, also regretted the emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party as deputy senate president.

SARAKI, OYINLOLA, OTHERS IN CLOSED-DOOR MEETING WITH OBASANJO

Senate President Bukola Saraki is in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, holding a closed-door meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Also in the entourage of the Senate President on the early Friday visit are Senators Andy Uba, Danjuma Goje, Ahmed Yerima, Tayo Alasoadura and a former National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
They arrived at Obasanjo’s Hilltop Mansion, Abeokuta, at about 9.10am in about seven Sports Utility Vehicles.
The senators and other All Progressives Congress chiefs proceeded into the inner chamber of former President’s home as soon as they alighted from their vehicles.

It is yet unclear why the politicians have come to see Obasanjo.

SENATORS TO EARN N506,600 EACH PER ANNUM AS WARDROBE ALLOWANCE – SARAKI

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has cleared the air on the ward-robe allowance for the members of the National Assembly, saying each senator is entitled to N506,600 annually and not N8.64 billion as reported in the media.
“Chairman of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission was in my office to clarify wardrobe allowance,” Mr. Saraki wrote on twitter Wednesday. “Amount is N506,600 per Senator.”
Mr. Saraki, in response to the media reports that the N460 senators and members of the House of Representatives would receive a whopping N8.64 billion, quoted his interview with BBC in his tweeter handle that “a body responsible for setting up the salaries and allowances was looking into the matter and would publish details of the remuneration on its website.”

SARAKI BLASTS LAI MOHAMMED, SAYS HE’LL REMAIN IN APC

Senate President, Bukola Saraki has blasted all those who claimed that he has plans of switching from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) describing them as his political adversaries.
In a statement issued by his media office on Wednesday, Saraki who refrained from mentioning names, is believed to have directed his accusation at Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC National Publicity Secretary.
It would be recalled that Mohammed has described the present composition of the leadership of the nation’s National Assembly, the Senate headed by Senator Olusola Saraki, and the House of Representatives, led by Yakubu Dogara, as pro-Peoples Democratic Party.

SARAKI’S SUPER STUNTS

Senator Bukola Saraki, who yesterday emerged as the President of the Senate, has led a life of political rebellions the latest of which was his revolt against his new party.
Senator Bukola Saraki, who emerged as the seventh President of the Fourth Republic yesterday, has trudged a political course laced with repeated uprisings unusual for one born into a conservative, nay politically adventurous family.
His enthronement as the President of the Senate has now eclipsed his late father’s acclaimed political standing. Those who until recently referred to Oloye, that is the late Senator Abubakar Olusola Saraki as the most acclaimed Senate leader in Nigeria’s political history would now have to revert to his son who has transcended his father’s political height.

SENATE PRESIDENCY: TINUBU’S CAMP BACKS AKUME, AMAECHI, OTHERS PUSH FOR SARAKI

• 2011 House scenario looms
As the contest for the office of the Senate President intensifies, various political blocs in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have thrown their weights behind different gladiators for the office.
Prior to the emergence of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari as the president-elect, there were three political blocs within the APC, which won the March 28, 2015 presidential election and secured majority seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives.
These political blocs include the Buhari/Northern bloc which is made up of the president-elect and his supporters who have been with him for 12 years and collapsed their structures into the APC during the merger process; the Tinubu/South-west bloc led by former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu; and the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors who decamped to APC in 2013 led by Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi and Senator Bukola Saraki.

WHY JONATHAN SHOULD FORGET 2015— BUKOLA SARAKI

Dr Bukola Saraki, two- time governor of Kwara State, was elected senator for Kwara Central to succeed his sister, Gbemisola Saraki-Fowora. He was also a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) until he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In this interview, he speaks on insecurity in Nigeria, what needs to be done to arrest the Boko Haram militancy and maintains that the President Goodluck Jonathan-led government has not done enough in tackling the situation.
He says the APC is the party to beat come 2015 general elections. Excerpts:
There was a report credited to you that guns and bombs will not help in the fight
against insecurity in Nigeria. In the present situation the country has found itself, what do you think needs to be done?

KWARA APC: SARAKI, LAI MOHAMMED CLASH OPENLY OVER CONGRESS

A major crack was yesterday experienced in the house of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the two major leaders of the party, Sen. Bukola Saraki and Alhaji Lai Mohammed, were reported to have publicly exchanged hot words within the premises of the APC national secretariat, over the just concluded ward congress in parts of Kwara State.
Whereas Sen. Saraki is the self-acclaimed leader of the APC in the state, having defected recently from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC with huge party machinery, Alhaji Mohammed is the party’s National Publicity Secretary, who facilitated the smooth transition of the former to the APC.
Until recently, the two leaders had enjoyed conviviality in their political relationship. No thanks to the recently concluded wards and local government congresses of the party, which have now pitched the two leaders against each other, with their supporters allegedly already spoiling for war.

SARAKI DYNASTY SUFFERS, AS BUKOLA-GBEMI FEUD LINGERS

The frosty relationship between a former governor of Kwara State and the heir to Saraki’s dynasty in Ilorin, Dr Bukola Saraki and his sister, Senator Gbemisola Rukayyat Saraki dated back to 2011. It began when Bukola, who was about to complete his tenure, opposed Gbemi’s governorship ambition.
Sunday Trust discovered that the current political happenings exposed the deep-seated cracks in Saraki’s dynasty as both siblings now work at cross purposes in the current dispensation.
The 2011 election was a turning point in the annals of Kwara politics because the late strong man of Kwara politics, Dr Olusola Saraki pulled out of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and floated the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) to actualize the gubernatorial ambition of his daughter. The decision to float the ACPN was reportedly taken after it became crystal-clear that securing the PDP ticket for his Senator-daughter would be a hard nut to crack.

SARAKI BLASTS JONATHAN OVER SACK OF SPORTS MINISTER

•10 governors, other stakeholders to attend grand reception to celebrate Abdullahi
THE immediate past Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday faulted President Goodluck Jonathan for sacking Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi as sports minister.
He was sad that the presidency could sacrifice competence for sheer politics.
Abdullahi was dropped last Wednesday for what the presidency sources described as his refusal to openly identify with President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the 2015 elections, and for his closeness to Senator Saraki.
He had reportedly told the chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee in the state that he” is not a politician.”
He was, at the time of his sack, outside the country on official assignment.
Notwithstanding, a grand reception awaits the ex-minister in Ilorin, his home town with no fewer than 10 state governors and eminent Kwarans expected to attend.
The date and scope of the reception were being worked out at press time.

SARAKI WANTS SANUSI’S SUSPENSION REVIEWED BY SENATE

Ilorin — The chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, has called for the review of the suspension of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor by President Goodluck Jonathan because it was not endorsed by the Senate.

Saraki said the statement credited to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe that the Senate was behind the president on the issue was Abaribe’s personal opinion, adding that the Presidency should not be encouraged to take illegal actions that could truncate the nation’s democracy and damage the economy.
The Senator, who is a former governor of Kwara State, spoke in an interview with journalists in Ilorin, weekend.

CBN GOV: SARAKI SLAMS JONATHAN

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Saturday said the suspension of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, by President Goodluck Jonathan was unconstitutional.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, he stated that Jonathan’s action portrayed him as a President who was ill-advised.
According to him, the Act that established the apex bank made it mandatory for the President to revert to the Senate for confirmation and removal of the CBN governor.
Saraki said, “Governance is a continuous process, if the tenure of the incumbent had not lapsed, how can we appoint another person to replace him? That is a total breach of the law.

PDP STAKEHOLDERS MOVE AGAINST SARAKI’S GRIP ON KWARA

STAKEHOLDERS of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kwara State, have commenced moves to fill the vacuum left by the departure of Senator Bukola Saraki and his associates from the party.
At the stakeholders’ meeting convened in Abuja, Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the state chapter of the party, Solomon Edojah told party dignitaries and elected office holders that though difficult, it was possible to dislodge Senator Saraki’s grip on the state. He, however, lamented the unwillingness of some including the Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi to join the campaign.
Edojah said the caretaker committee would soon hold a rally for the purpose of identifying all those with the party and those still identifying with Senator Saraki, adding, “We need to whittle down Saraki’s power, though they are making serious overture to come back. I told the party leadership that it is better to work with people in our hands than to rely on the same structure that has played game with us.”

SARAKI: KWARA SPEAKER RELINQUISHES SECURITY, OFFICIAL CARS

In protest against the withdrawal of security detail of former Governor Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly Razak Atunwa has made good his threat to relinquish his security details if Saraki’s security was not reinstated.
The speaker was at the Assembly chamber yesterday without his security officials who were said to have been returned to the police.
Atunwa had last week shortly after the House passed a resolution condemning the withdrawal of Saraki’s security threatened to surrender his security detail if the order to withdraw Saraki’s security was not reverted.

I AM BEING PERSECUTED - SARAKI

Former governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, has said that his current political travails is not unconnected with the happenings in the present political terrain in the country.
The senator representing Kwara Central district, said it is only him with date with one anti-graft agency or the other, saying he won’t be surprised if another anti-graft agency invites him for questioning next week.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Thursday, Senator Saraki said the issues being fought by the factional members of the PDP were not personal against President Goodluck Jonathan, saying the same issues would be fought with whoever is the president of Nigeria.

EFCC MOVES AGAINST BUKOLA SARAKI

Former Kwara State governor and senator representing Kwara Central in the National Assembly, Dr Bukola Saraki, is to appear before a crack team of investigators of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over his alleged involvement in fraud-related matters during his eight-year period as governor and his time as executive director of the defunct Societe Generale Bank Nigeria Limited (SGBN).
A dependable source confided in LEADERSHIP last night that the ex-governor has been invited by the EFCC and is due to appear before the anti-graft crack team on Wednesday at the Idiagbon House, base of the operations arm of the EFCC at its headquarters in Abuja.

SARAKI FLAYS CORRUPTION CASE AGAINST HIM

…Says detractors will fail

Former Governor of Kwara State and Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial district at the National Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki, Thursday berated a group he said was peddling rumour of corruption against him, describing it as frivolous and uncalled for

Saraki in a statement made available to journalists in Ilorin by his media aide, Mr. Bamikole Omisore, denied any case of corruption against him.

The statement said: "The office of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Federal Ministry of Justice had reviewed and interpreted the case and found him not culpable in any corrupt practices.”
It also implored members of the public to disregard fictitious media reports being published in some national dailies (not THISDAY) against Saraki.