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2019: Saraki Declares Against Buhari …Tambuwal, Turaki, Lamido, Dankwambo Pick Nomination Forms
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.”
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.