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Tag: Abubakar Bukola Saraki

  • Ray of hope as Saraki chairs PDP strategy Cttee on way forward

    Ray of hope as Saraki chairs PDP strategy Cttee on way forward

    There seems to be a ray of hope in Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as ex-Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki emerges as Committee Chairman on Strategy Committee on way forward after the party’s stakeholders meeting on Sunday.

    Recall that the major opposition party in Nigeria has been laced in unending crisis since 2022 and after the presidential election that produced President Bola TInubu.

    In a statement he personally signed, the former Kwara Governor said:

    “I just left a meeting of the PDP Governors Forum, attended by its serving and former governors, at the Bauchi Governor’s Lodge.

    “We had a fruitful deliberation on the party’s present challenges and its future. The meeting was well attended. As part of the decisions taken to chart a way forward, the meeting set up a seven-man committee charged with preparing for a rancour-free NEC meeting scheduled for May 27th and the forthcoming national convention.

    ” The committee is headed by my humble self, and I will have the pleasure of working with my brothers – HE Dauda Lawal, HE Caleb Muftwang, and HE Peter Mba, governors of Zamfara, Plateau and Enugu States respectively.

    “Other members are Sen. Seriake Dickson, Sen. Ibrahim Dankwambo, and forner governor of Abia State, HE, Chief Okezie Ikpeazu, We hope to do our best in delivering on the assignment given to us.

  • Saraki Foundation settles Mr Ibu’s medical bills

    Saraki Foundation settles Mr Ibu’s medical bills

    Abubakar Bukola Saraki Foundation has settled all medical expenses of the renowned ailing Nollywood actor, John Okafor, fondly called as Mr. Ibu.

    This was made known in a statement shared on the Foundation’s Facebook page.

    The comic actor had earlier in the week appealed to Nigerians to come his aid as he risked amputation of his legs over an undisclosed ailment.

    However, the Foundation, in the statement, said: “The Abubakar Bukola Saraki Foundation is honoured to have extended support to Mr John Okafor also known as Mr. Ibu, a renowned comedic icon who has graced our screens and brought joy and laughter to countless homes over the past four decades.

    “When we learned of his recent health challenges and the financial burdens associated with his medical treatment, we felt a deep sense of responsibility to assist in any way we could. We promptly paid off his entire medical expenses as of Wednesday.

    “We encourage everyone who can to come forward and assist in any capacity, whether it’s through financial contributions, moral support, or prayers.

     

     

     

  • Restructuring: Lies flow in your DNA-Saraki hammers El-Rufai

    Restructuring: Lies flow in your DNA-Saraki hammers El-Rufai

    The Dr Bukola Saraki media office has described the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasr El-Rufai as a pathological liar over his comment on restructuring.

    In a statement issued and signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu Head, Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office, reacting to his recent comment on restructuring said:

    “The attention of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office has been drawn to the interview granted ARISE TV on Wednesday by Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai where in his usual way of throwing tantrums and making false claims, he claimed that Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki as Senate President between 2015 and 2019 frustrated the restructuring plan of the All Progressives Congress (APC) through a constitutional amendment process.

    “This statement is not only false but also indicative of how the Kaduna State governor is fond of making excuses and trading blames to explain his failure and that of his party.

    “El-Rufai claimed he and his party prepared a report on restructuring and engaged with the National Assembly leadership to amend the constitution in 2018 when as of February 2016, more than two years earlier, the 8th National Assembly had commenced the constitution amendment process by setting up committees in both chambers. Members of the committees traversed the entire country and came up with reports and draft bills.

    “By 2018 as El Rufai mentioned, President Muhammadu Buhari had commenced assent to constitutional amendment bills. Out of the 32 Constitution Bills considered by the National Assembly, 24 secured the required number of votes on the floors of both chambers. Also, when the 24 were sent to the state Houses of Assembly, only 12 bills got the required votes.

    ” This same El-Rufai was one of the governors that frustrated the passage of most of the bills by state Houses of Assembly. Eventually, the President assented to five of the 12 Bills submitted to him in 2018 and refused to sign seven others.

    “Even then, it will be interesting to ask the Kaduna State Governor how his state has implemented important restructuring Bills passed by Eighth National Assembly headed by Saraki that have been signed into law like the Financial Autonomy for State Legislature and Judiciary Act.

    “If the APC was elected into power in 2015 and El Rufai and his cohorts were talking about amending the constitution to implement restructuring three years later when the government had less than a year to the end of its tenure, the restructuring agenda must be an after-thought or a less important one on the hierarchy of issues on the APC’s plate.

    “It should also be noted that it has been a clear 44 months since Saraki left office as Senate President and within that period El Rufai and his party has the Senate President they want and the type of Senate they want, yet they have not done anything to restructure Nigeria. We have not seen the so-called “excellent” report of his committee being translated into bills and assented to by the President. He even claimed his committee drafted restructuring bills.

    “El Rufai should tell Nigerians if Saraki is also the one that is responsible for the high level of insecurity which has escalated from just the Northeast to a menace that has now engulfed the whole of Nigeria under the APC administration. We need him to tell Nigerians if the former Senate President is responsible for the collapsing state of the economy, spiraling inflation, huge cost of living, extremely low standard of living across the country, endemic poverty in the land, the foreign exchange rate that has moved from N200 in exchange for a dollar to N740 to a dollar, the high level of youth unemployment, the high rate of oil theft, the alarming rate of borrowing by the government, high rate of disunity among the component units that make up the country and other ills bedeviling the country under the APC administration.

    “Since the Kaduna State Governor is an expert in manufacturing excuses and blames trading, he should tell us why the APC government to which he belongs has not been able to provide good governance to Nigerians and why the party is struggling to appeal to voters to reward their failure.

    “We can see that in addition to his job as state governor, he has now become the spokesperson of a failing presidential campaign as he struts from one television station to the other, making vile threats, throwing abuses, and spewing lies. The day of reckoning will soon be here. Nigerians will surely not reward failure or buy cheap lies.

  • Kaduna attack on PDP supporters: We’re back to the dark days – Saraki

    Kaduna attack on PDP supporters: We’re back to the dark days – Saraki

     

    … condemns violent act at Kaduna Rally

    …calls for probe by security agencies

    Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has condemned the violent attack on supporters of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other Nigerians who gathered in Kaduna to listen to the party’s presidential candidate as part of the campaigns for the 2023 elections.

    Saraki said such a sad development was a return to the dark days of politics in the country which is widely believed to have become a thing of the past. He, therefore, called on the security agencies to immediately commence a thorough investigation to unveil the people who penetrated the violent acts, their sponsors, and their motives.

    He added that the attack on the Kaduna rally of the PDP by some yet-to-be-named people was not just a threat to the nation’s democracy but an indication that some elements are still bent on sabotaging and undermining the success of next year’s general elections.

    “This sad development is a big setback for our democracy. It represents a slap on the face of all Nigerians. It made a mess of all the efforts of the eminent men and women who constitute the National Peace Committee which just recently got all leading presidential candidates, their party chieftains, and spokesmen to sign an accord to promote peace and unity before, during, and after the elections.

    “The security agencies must use this case to reassure the world that Nigeria will not return to the era of jungle politics or Hobbesian state. Both the sponsors and perpetrators of these criminal acts should be treated as top enemies of the state. They should be exposed and made to face the wrath of the law in such a manner that others who harbour this evil intent will take this case as a big deterrence.

    “While I express sympathy with those who sustained the injury, let me urge our leaders across the country to remain undeterred as the rest of the country will not succumb to the antics of the anarchists who still operate in a disguised manner in our political system.

    “The determination of the PDP candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to remind the people of the failure of the ruling APC and give them the hope of a better tomorrow through his well-thought-out policies and programmes remains resolute. The message of hope will get to all homes, streets, and communities in the country without any exception. Since the message is resonating with the people, those who want to violently halt its spread will fail woefully now and during the next election”, he stated.

  • Why I stopped Tinubu from being Buhari’s running mate – Saraki

    Former Kwara state Governor and Senator  Abubakar Bukola Saraki has denied that he opposed the ambition of the former Lagos state governor and the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu to become President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2014 .

    Saraki said he opposed the muslim-muslim ticket as at then.

    Saraki made this revelation while reacting to accusations by Tinubu that he stopped his ambition to become president Buhari’s running mate.

    Recall that Tinubu had during a meeting with delegates in Ogun State, claimed that Saraki and others opposed his desire to be Buhari’s running mate in the 2015 elections because he was a Muslim.

    Saraki,  who spoke through  a statement signed and released  by the head of his Media Office, Yusuph Olaniyonu, stated that he would always oppose any plan that is capable of causing a religious crisis in a multi-religious country like Nigeria.

    According to Saraki, President Buhari was a Muslim and shouldn’t have another Muslim man as his running mate.

    “When I and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014 stood against having a Muslim-Muslim ticket, it was not a decision targeted at any individual or group but one taken in the national interest.

    “Let me make it clear that the decision to oppose the plans by some people to make APC present a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2015 was in the national interest and I will take the same stand today, tomorrow, and any other day.

    “My stance is based on the fact that such a ticket is not good for the unity of the country and will further accentuate one of our fault lines.

    “The opposition to a Muslim- Muslim ticket was not targeted at Tinubu or any other person. It was a decision that even all party leaders know helped the victory of the party and also worked for the unity of the country”, he said.

    Saraki was a member of the ruling party when President Buhari won the 2015 presidential election.

  • Former Governor of Katsina, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, speaks fondly about his friend, Saraki (Photos)

    Former Governor of Katsina, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, speaks fondly about his friend, Saraki (Photos)

    PDP Presidential Aspirant, former President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, at Dr. Saraki’s meeting with delegates and party stakeholders in Katsina State.

  • 2023: Social commentator tasks young entrepreneurs to back Saraki’s candidacy, gives reasons

    2023: Social commentator tasks young entrepreneurs to back Saraki’s candidacy, gives reasons

    A social media commentator, Rilwan Akeula has tasked young entrepreneurs in Nigeria to support former Senate President, Bukola Saraki as the next president of Nigeria, citing how he (Saraki) articulated various legislative instruments in boosting fortunes of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs ) in the country.

    Recall Saraki, has made his intention known to run for president in the 2023 general election.

    In support of Saraki’s 2023 presidential bid, Akeula who made the aforesaid call in a series of posts tweeted on his Twitter handle, said the 8th senate under the leadership of Saraki implemented various instruments that evolved into actional tools to help the executive create the environment for jobs to grow, enterprise to prosper and reduce the burden of regulatory compliance, many don’t know this!

    His words, The 8th senate under the leadership of H.E Bukola Saraki articulated various instruments that evolved into actional tools to help the executive create the environment for jobs to grow, enterprise to prosper and reduce the burden of regulatory compliance, many don’t know this!

    “These Bills and areas of intervention will deliver tangible outcomes that is aimed at boosting the fortunes of SMEs, job creation and access to credit for business growth. I will mention all…”

    “I. The Public Procurement Act (Amendment) Bill; ii. Companies and Allied Matters Act (Repeal & Re-enactment) Bill (CAMA); iii. Investment and Securities Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill; iv. The Secure Transaction in Movable Assets; v. The Nigeria Independent Warehouse Regulatory Agency Bill; vi. The Franchise Bill; vii. Credit Reporting Bill; viii. Electronic Transactions Bill; ix. FederalCompetitionCommission x. National Payment Systems

    “The initial start-up capital of micro-enterprises were predominantly less than fifty thousand Naira, while small and medium enterprises were predominantly less than ten million Naira.

    “The main challenges confronting the operations of MSMEs in Nigeria are access to finance and poor infrastructure. The total number of persons employed by the MSME sector as at December 2010 stood at 32,414,884.The ownership structure by age showed that the age bracket of 24 – 50 dominates. Hence youth entrepreneurs are dominant!!

    Akeula strong believes that Saraki has all the competence to lead Nigeria having been able to actualise changes and set foundational frameworks in the three priority areas of assistance to MSMEs, which are access to finance, provision of infrastructure and regular supply of power and water.

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  • Saraki speaks on visit to EFCC

    Saraki speaks on visit to EFCC

    President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday inspected the new headquarters building of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and said he will continue to support efforts to build and strengthen the nation’s institutions irrespective of any differences.

    Saraki who spoke to journalists after a tour of the edifice, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, in Abuja, said he was particularly impressed by the quality of work done and the fact the the building was designed by a Nigerian architect.

    He said he is duty bound to visit the completed project as part of his oversight functions in view of the contributions of the National Assembly to its realization.

    He said that the nation must continue to build institutions as well as strengthen existing ones to realize its dream of becoming a great democratic country.

    On the import of his visit to the project site, Saraki said: “I think the most important thing as far as we are concerned is that I have always said that we must always continue to build institutions and that is what is important and we must continue to support in building these institutions.

    “If we are going to build a better society in our country, one of the main things we must tackle is the issue of corruption and how we can do that is by strengthening these institutions.

    “My presence here is to say that whatever we do in our job, the most important thing is that we all represent institutions and we must work and see that it is in the interest of the country.

    “So my presence here is, after a building like this where the National Assembly has played a great role, it must be my responsibility to see how the money was spent and I can see that that has been done properly and we should continue to work together to see that that goes well for the entire country.

    “If you look at most projects in Abuja, I don’t think any project like this has been well-funded and that shows that despite all the noise you will hear, the National Assembly has supported where it matters because this is where it matters and I think we have done that.

    “If you look at what has been achieved in the last two and half years in putting this building up and bringing it to completion, I think it is a remarkable achievement,” he said.

    He added: “I have a responsibility and a role as the head of the legislature. I have responsibility and my responsibility is beyond whatever issues. You see, you guys in the media like to hype things. The most important thing is that we must always do the right thing.

    “We might disagree on what those right things are but at the end of the, we must ensure that we build institutions, we support institutions and do what is right and we must continue to do that.

    “Unfortunately, I will not be here on Tuesday because I will be sitting and that is why I said I must come and see it. A project as huge as this that the National Assembly has supported is worth seeing.”

    Saraki said that the fight against corruption must continue in order to bequeath a better future to both present and up coming generations.

    “I think we have all said it. Corruption is something we must fight,” he said. “There is no way you can build a society without fighting corruption.”

    “I have always said that my own strong will is that as we fight it, we must fight it in ensuring that we strengthen the institutions and what you see here is part of the process of strengthening that institutions so that whoever comes here will know that this is what we must fight if we want to build institutions.”

    He described the building as impressive and commendable especially the fact that it was designed by an indigenous architect.

    He said: “I must say that I am very impressed. Very commendable structure, I like the fact that the architect is local; Nigerian and the quality of work done by Julius Berger is very impressive and it is a building that we should be proud of.

    “I think it goes to show the importance of institutional building, making institutions stronger and it makes institutions stronger. So, it is very impressive.

    “The details and planning is very commendable. I would commend all those who have worked towards the actualization of the structure.

    “From those who started it to the builder. Let me also commend members of the National Assembly that provided the funding to make it a reality. I am very impressed. It is well kept secret but it is very good.

    On what what the completion of the building means for continuity in governance for the country, he said: “That is why I keep saying it is not about individuals, it is about institutions and this is what we have shown here.

    “I think the project has gone through about three Executive Chairmen and one did not come in to say this is not my project and I must not continue. Each one has taken it as his own project.

    “I think that is good and that is the whole point that is important and this is something we will be proud of for many years.

    “In many years to come, I hope that we don’t have corruption in an environment like this but for now, I think there are many good aspects of this.

    “Having a Nigerian that designed this, the details are very impressive – the clinic and all the facilities – and the fact that it has gone through three different administrations; and the fact that the National Assembly has played its role and brought it to completion, I think that it is a lot of plus,” he stated.

     

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