NATIONAL Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday, lambasted Senate President, Bukola
Saraki, describing him as an indisciplined, disloyal and member of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in soul.
Tinubu spoke yesterday while denying media reports
that he was conspiring with Senate President Saraki to move against
President Muhammadu Buhari over his alleged disaffection with the
ministerial list.
Saraki and Tinubu
Insisting that President Buhari must be supported by all to realize
the change agenda, Tinubu said there was no way he could conspire with
Saraki, who he said was indisciplined, disloyal and a PDP member in
soul.
Tinubu spoke via a statement from Conakry, Guinea, by his Media Director, Dare Sunday.
“The idea of an alleged conspiracy between Tinubu and
Saraki against
the President is a lie. Tinubu is committed to the APC vision and the
Nigeria Project. The way Senator Saraki captured his current seat
travestied party discipline” he said.
Reacting to the attack, the Senate President, Saraki, said he would
not join issues with Tinubu and promised that the screening of
ministerial nominees, starting tomorrow, would be done objectively
according to the laws of the country and in the interest of Nigerians.
Tinubu in the statement said: “It was a crass act of disloyalty
showing that Saraki may have joined the APC on paper but has remained
true to the malpractices and wrong aims of the reactionary PDP in his
soul.
“If this nation is to have more than a fleeting chance of escaping
the quagmire into which years of PDP misrule have taken us, we cannot
allow these regressive elements to deploy their cunning tricks to divide
and pit progressives against progressives,” he said
The APC leader said he would not toss aside a lifetime’s labour
because of an alleged slight and certainly would not join with Senator
Saraki in stymieing the government which might just be the nation’s last
best chance to salvage itself.
“In our journey to national betterment, plans and policies will be
made, then amended. Mistakes will occur and then be corrected.
Achievements will be had and replicated. Through it all, Asiwaju will
remain true to the progressive ideals that fuelled the creation of the
APC. He has devoted his political life to achieve what has been
achieved. His heart is too much of the people and his mind too fixed on
establishing a positive historic legacy to suffer such a cynical policy
or engage in the destructive pettiness of which he is accused.”
He continued: ‘’The alleged conspiracy is a figment. It takes at
least two people to make a conspiracy. There has been no substantive
communication between Asiwaju and Saraki since the latter decided to
foul the integrity of the Senate and the party. To be truthful, I don’t
think Saraki would care to hear what Asiwaju would have to say to him.
He would admonish the Senator to treat the nomination process with
dispatch, justice, fairness, transparency, and most of all with the
greatest patriotism.
“He would counsel Saraki to shelve his personal situation for the
moment to concentrate on the people’s business. It would be a grave
mistake and abuse of office for Saraki to directly or indirectly inject
his personal matter into the approval process. Saraki should not link
the approval of a single minister to his desire for extra-judicial
treatment of his issues.’’
The statement read in part: ‘’Other than voice this encouragement,
Bola Tinubu will never say a negative word or lift a finger to forestall
anyone’s approval before the Senate. For the record, the Buhari
Presidency was brought to life by the votes of millions of Nigerians who
desire change. Such a collective and historic achievement is not one
that anyone who worked to bring it to life would easily seek to
de-construct.
“If adhering to the decisions of the party, supporting the
government’s progressive plank and working for the good of the people
qualifies Tinubu for surveillance, then he will accept that.
“However, we know that any such surveillance is not from state
security organs. Such activity would come from the insecurity agencies
of the PDP and its mercenary allies elsewhere who would seek to fragment
the true core of the APC so that they may scuttle the Buhari reform
programme and return the nation to the misgovernance of the past. They
hope to delude the APC into attacking itself. By so doing, they believe
they can regain through stealth, the reins of government the people
seized from them through elections. They seek to break the hearts and
hopes of the people. Asiwaju Tinubu would never team with anyone to gain
such an inhumane objective…
“Those who midwifed this garish tale gave birth not to truth but to
lies intended to kill APC unity and to retard the Buhari
administration’s strategic reform initiatives, as earlier outlined by
our party manifesto. Given the potential for change that stands before
us, we are now beginning to see the true nature of many people. There
are those who truly want positive change so that we can break from the
ways of a stolid past. Then there are those who speak of change with
their mouths but never believe in it in their hearts. They came along
with us for the ride or because no other political option availed itself
at the operative time. Now given the chance to redeem themselves from
their past political actions, they would rather return to the political
morass from whence they came.
“Here, I will do those who inhabit the shadows of untruth a favour. I
will state explicitly what they hoped to get the reader to infer. Their
claim is that Tinubu has joined with Saraki to scuttle the President’s
ministerial nominations. They have misfired.
‘’Their wrong is a great wrong. Like the rest of us, Asiwaju Tinubu
waited for the President to select his cabinet. The majority of the
selections have been made. There is nothing to do but congratulate the
appointees and pray for them. Their responsibilities are vast, the
future of the nation now rests on their shoulders. The challenges before
them are manifold and daunting. Those who want the best for Nigeria can
only hope that these people succeed. The only intervention that Asiwaju
Tinubu would make is one of encouragement. He would charge them to
remain true to the progressive vision of the party and our President.’’
I won’t join issues with Tinubu—Saraki
Reacting, Saraki, in a statement by his Spokesperson, Mr Yusuf
Olaniyonu said: “I saw the statement said to be issued by Senator Bola
Ahmed Tinubu over a story published by a national daily. I have decided
not to join issues with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. However, I know that
most Nigerians are aware that there has been no meeting or communication
between me and Asiwaju Tinubu since I was elected Senate President.
Therefore, I do not see any basis for a newspaper to report that we are
both plotting to oppose the President.
“I recognise Tinubu as one of the leaders of the APC who contributed
so much to the victory of the party in the last election. Some other
people also contributed and I believe the collective efforts made it
possible for the first time in the history of our country for an
opposition party to win the general elections.
He also said: “Let me state clearly that I remain a committed member
of the APC and will do all in my powers to ensure the party fulfill its
promises to bring positive changes into the country.
“Since my election as Senate President, my focus and efforts have
been devoted to doing the job that I was elected to do by my
constituents and my colleagues in the Senate. Twice, my colleagues have
confirmed their support for me as the primus inter pares in the Senate.
“As I said in my speech when we resumed from our recess late
September and in Ikenne over the weekend, the screening of ministerial
nominees will be handled by me and my colleagues with all sense of
responsibility and in adherence to the provision of the constitution. We
will be fair to all and be guided by the interest of Nigeria. The
screening will be devoid of sentiment and it is not an opportunity for
anybody to settle scores. We are equally eager for us to make a positive
difference in our polity and Nigerians will be able to judge us whether
we acted in their best interest or not.”
