An activist, Ayo Opadakun has said President Buhari cannot fight corruption with senator Bukola Saraki as Senate president.
Ayo Opadokun
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Speaking in an interview with Punch, Opadokun said despite Buhari’s assurance that he would tackle corruption, “Buhari
cannot start this ball game before Nigerians start pointing accusing
fingers to the Senate leadership as represented by Saraki.”
“They will have to explain to Nigerians what happened to Societe Generale Bank. Nigerians might have forgotten; they may not even know that under the chairmanship of Nuhu Ribadu (of the EFCC), the affairs of Societe Generale was totally investigated and the results were made available by the anti-graft body. It was just that somebody – a highly placed person close to Obasanjo then kept appealing to him (Obasanjo). He (Saraki) ought to have been sanctioned a long time ago.” “When you have that kind of a leader in Buhari and assisted by his vice, an erudite and highly credible law professor – a very active one, you don’t need a Saraki to preside over the legislature. Because in your fight against corruption, they will have to rework the laws and regulations upon which these anti-graft agencies are operating. For example, I know President Buhari and Prof. Osinbajo will want to give the agencies full independence to do their job without any clearance. And that is part of the things that can help us to win the battle against corruption. But if the one who has interests to protect is presiding over the affairs of the legislature, you should know that you have a problem in your hands.” Speaking further, he said Buhari needs the legislature to be on the same page with him but his failure to secure that with the could spell doom for his administration. He described Saraki’s emergence as Senate president as grave offence against his party. “I cannot see any graver offence any party man can commit than the kind Saraki had done to the APC; conspiring with the PDP. And it did not matter to him any longer whatever other juicy offices that were available that the PDP was ready to take. And he believes that he will remain that way? They will continue to vote as if they have single majority, even though they cannot have two-third majority. That is what it seems they are embarking upon. But that will not help Nigerians.” The APC plung into crisis following the emergence of Mr Saraki as Senate president and Dogara as Speaker of the House of Assembly. |
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