The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has officially declared to run for the President of Nigeria during the 2019 elections.
Saraki made his intention known during a dialogue with youth and young aspirants, held at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, yesterday.
According to him, he possesses a blend of executive and legislative experience being a former governor of a state in Nigeria and now, the Senate President.
Saraki said, as such, he has all it takes to “push for and implement reforms that will deliver real improvements in the daily lives of our people. I know what it takes to create jobs and grow the economy. I can make the tough decisions when it matters. I will spearhead a new agenda that can transform the lives of ordinary Nigerians in real terms.”
Saraki said it would not be business as usual because his government will, if elected as president, “be a dynamic government of action that will pursue the growth of Nigeria with doggedness, determination and conviction.”
Saraki also said that he would lead a result-driven administration that would set targets “with clear timelines to ensure that anticipated deliverables are met.”
He said he would deliver on all promises driven by what is best for Nigerians.
Similarly, a Saraki Support Group, #SNIGERIA FIRST has pledged its support for the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, in the face of what it termed ‘hostility’ against him (Saraki).
The Kwara State chapter Coordinator, Damilola Damilare, in a statement issued, yesterday, said that Saraki had just declared to run for president, had been a victim of political battle since 2015.
They said that since he won the confidence of his colleagues to be the President of the Senate against the wishes of certain political gladiators, it had been one trouble after the other.
Saraki #SNIGERIA FIRST in their statement titled “Why We Support Saraki”, however, stressed that despite the challenges, their supports for Saraki remained unflinching in view of his numerous achievements.
Itemising the many achievements of the Senate’s President, #SNIGERIA FIRST said that Saraki continues to discharge his duties with a sense of purpose and efficiency.
“His keen sense of empathy, is one unique trait which sets him apart from other Nigerian leaders. This was exemplified by his empowerment of the neglected family of the late Nigerian football legend, Rasheed Yekini.”
He also paid a personal visit to the National Assembly staff that was injured during the mace theft drama.
“As a Senator in the 7th assembly, Saraki was one of the first sets of people to donate blood to victims of Nyanya bombing in Abuja, in 2014 and supported Ali Ahmadu, who was run over by Boko Haram to regain his feet and walk again,” he said.
The group describes as untrue certain allegations that had been levied on Saraki, including the view in some quarters that he underperformed as a two-term governor of Kwara State.
They insisted that Saraki even performed beyond expectation having received one of the lowest allocations from the Federal Government during his time as governor.
“He initiated one of the best diagnosis centres in West Africa. (Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre), he initiated one of the best agricultural initiatives in Nigeria (Shongai Farms) and he established the first State owned Aviation College in Nigeria (International Aviation College).
“He established the first state-owned football academy in Nigeria (Kwara Football Academy), the first community-based health insurance scheme in Kwara (Kwara Community Health Insurance Scheme) and the first state-owned university in Kwara (Kwara State University, KWASU).
“Under him, Kwara became the first state to complete the Nigerian Integrated Power Project in Nigeria. (NIPP),” Damilare said.
He argued that past administrations before Saraki built only 3 housing estates while Saraki built 10 and in all the three senatorial districts.
The group added that he initiated the clean and green program and bagged over 15 awards during his time as governor.
They insisted that the former Kwara Governor had the qualities deserving of a great leader, adding that he was an outstanding member of the 7th Senate who exposed the ‘biggest corruption scandal’ in the petroleum sector: the fuel subsidy scandal.
On his performance as President of the 8th Senate, the group said: “The 8th senate has passed more bills than any previous senate, it have resolved more petitions than all past senates combined, it broke the jinx on Petroleum Industry Bill and it supported and passed the Not-Too-Young-To-Run bill.
“The 8th Senate under Saraki opened the NASS budget for public scrutiny; it concluded the Constitution amendment, promoted the patronage of Made-In-Nigeria goods and legislated on numerous issues that affect the lives of Nigerians.
They therefore called on Nigeria to disregard the negative campaigns against the President of the Senate, urging them to balance every news with facts.
“All we ask is for all Nigerians to ignore sponsored lies and #KnowSaraki,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Wadata House, National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) witnessed a beehive of activities as top politicians thronged the headquarters with huge crowd to pick nomination forms to contest for the office of the president of the country in 2019.
Among political big wigs who arrived the party headquarters in Abuja yesterday, to secure party nomination forms were a former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs and currents Chairman of former PDP Ministers’ Forum of Nigeria, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, led by the Director of Media and Publicity of Turaki Campaign Organization, Mr. Sola Afere.
Also at the party secretariat to pick nomination form was the incumbent Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, while former governor of Sokoto, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo and former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido picked their presidential nomination forms last Wednesday.
A prominent member of his presidential campaign organisation, who does not want to be named, disclosed this to newsmen, yesterday.
This is coming weeks after he declared that he had been under tremendous pressure to join the 2019 presidential race.
The source added that the governor was going to pick the nomination form with some of his supporters, adding that Tambuwal just returned from a foreign trip which is connected with his bid for the highest office in the country.
Tambuwal had in the past week stated that President Muhammadu Buhari was still being faced with health challenges and “is being held captive by a cabal that runs Nigeria for their personal interests.”