Senator Ali Wakili in his interview granted to the Leadership has explained what is going on between President Muhammadu Buhari and Senate president Bukola Saraki.
President Buhari and Senate president Saraki
Wakili said that contrary to the reports circulating in the media there is no rift between President Buhari and Saraki.
The Senator also noted that all issues turning around the National Assembly would have been resolved before it resumes on July 28, Tuesday.
While speaking on the current crisis bedeviling the upper legislative chamber, he said that he is getting sick and tired of how some people are trying to destabilise the nation through false propaganda by creating bad blood between the National Assembly and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
His words: “As a senator of the 8th assembly, as one of those that supported Senator Saraki, I know for sure that neither I nor Saraki nor any supporter of Saraki has on his table the idea of fighting with the presidency.
“The powers of the Presidency, that of the Senate and that of the Judiciary are spelt out in sections 4,5, and 6 of the constitution. They are very explicit if you look at the constitution, the powers of National Assembly in section 5, the powers of executive and Judiciary in section 6.
“Similarly, on issues of oversight functions, you will discover that the National Assembly has oversight functions on government activities that will not warrant that there is going to be a clash in the National Assembly and Presidency especially under President Muhammadu Buhari. We are piqued and tired because our names are being dragged in the mud,” the senator added.
Wakili further stated that: “our constituents are wondering and inundating us with questions such as ‘why are you quarreling with Mr President?’ We are taking time to explain to them that there is no quarrel between the Senate and Mr President. Mr President himself has accepted the Presidency of Bukola Saraki, because he has transmitted letters of congratulation to senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President, also about two letters to the National Assembly.
“So, the issue of Mr President not recognising Bukola Saraki is not true. Bukola Saraki as a person that has been brought up properly, everyone knows his family’s pedigree, and he’s not in any way ready to have any clash with President.”
Senator Wakili also denied reports that Buhari has refused to see Senate president, saying there has never been such situation.
“You all saw them at the International Conference Centre during the last national working committee of the APC. You saw him when he received Mr President, exchanging banters with PMB and I have confirmed to you that the President has written letters addressed to him as Senate President. If he doesn’t recognise him, will he write letters to him?” he asked.
As to the current crisis in the National Assembly, the senator said that these are things being orchestrated by outsiders.
Wakili said: “All the issues of propaganda are not from the national assembly. They are coming from outsiders that have interest or would have gotten their interest protected and their interest will not served by Speaker Dogara or Saraki’s presidency. Let me tell you put it on record, former governor of Nassarawa state Abdullahi Adamu, now a Senator, was among those rooting for Ahmed Lawan. He has turned himself to the nationalist, that the election is over, it is now the issue of Senate and anything that will bring disrepute to the senate he will not be a part of it. You will see him going with Saraki. Former governor of Kebbi State, Aliero, is also there.”
There had been reports that President Buhari has snubbed moves by Saraki to officially meet with him.
An official in the presidency said Buhari and the Senate president had only met once since the latter’s emergence as the leader of the Senate.
While spotted praying together, the two politicians were not talking.
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