Senate: Help save my seat, Saraki begs Obasanjo
http://www.gatewaymail.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Saraki-meets-Obasanjo.jpgApparently to save his seat and consolidate his position after his emergence generated crisis, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central Senatorial District of Kwara State), on Friday stormed the residence of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo to beg him.
Saraki, who said he was in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital home of Obasanjo to seek his blessing and support, was alleged to have sought the intervention of the former president to save his job as the Senate President by pleading with President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of APC.
Sources at the parley alleged that the nation’s number one lawmaker indeed urged the ex-president to intervene to help douse the tension that his election had generated and keep his 10-day-old job.
It would be recalled that contrary to the decision of the leaders of his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), Saraki was alleged to have surreptitiously held meeting with fellow People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers where an accord was reached.
The party had held mock elections and chosen Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as the Senate President and Speaker, House of Representatives, respectively.
But in order to ambush his party, Saraki, who was elected unopposed, conceded the deputy presidency to the PDP, which picked Senator Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu West Senatorial District), who got 54 votes to defeat Mohammed Ali Ndume with 20 votes.
Similarly, Hon. Yakubu Dogara (Bogoro/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency in Bauchi State) got 182 votes to defeat the party’s candidate, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (Surulere Federal Constituency of Lagos State) who got 174 votes, while Hon. Yusuf Suleiman Lasun (Irepodun, Olorunda, Osogbo Federal Constituency in Osun State) become the deputy speaker with 203 votes as against the representative of Marte/Monguno Nagazai federal constituency of Borno State, Hon. Monguno Tahir’s 153.
After emerging from the over two-hour closed-door meeting with Obasanjo, Saraki told reporters that he was in Abeokuta to tap from the former president’s wisdom and knowledge.
Saraki was accompanied on the visit by former acting National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party and now chieftain of the APC, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, ex-Governor of Osun State and a chieftain of the APC, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Senators Tayo Alasoadura, Andy Uba, Ahmad Yerima and Danjuma Goje.
He said:“Since I’ve been the Senate President, as one of our fathers, the former president, we are here to pay our homage to him, to seek his advice, to get his blessing and also to consult.”
“We all know President Obasanjo’s value to this country and we are here to tap from his wisdom, knowledge and experience,” he further stressed.
On how to resolve the rift generated on his emergence, Saraki said: “As you can see, things are moving smoothly,” adding: “Definitely, be rest assured that all that would be put behind us very shortly.”
“We are very confident about this,” the former two-term Governor of Kwara State maintained.
While reacting to calls for cut in salaries and allowances of the legislators, the Senate President said: “Well, I think already that is in progress. If you remember last time, it was about N150billion and it’s coming down to N120billion.
“I think the situation in the country deserves that every public servant must make sacrifices and whatever sacrifice that is necessary, we will do it,” he added.
Saraki further said: “And that is being done. So be rest assured that we are sensitive, we are aware of the situation in the country and if we are going to lead, we must lead by example. And we would do that.”
