The President of the Senate and Director-General PDP/Atiku
Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Bukola Saraki,
yesterday, catalogued the alleged failures of the government of
President Muhammadu Buhari.
He described the government of President Muhammadu Buhari as
very corrupt.
Although Saraki, who spoke in a 30-minute interview on Channels
Television, failed short of describing Buhari as personally
corrupt, he said that since the buck stops at the President’s
table, he could not be absolved of corruption, when he is
protecting corrupt people in his government.
Saraki also said that despite propaganda from the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC), Nigerians were worse off today than in
2015, when he and other members of the party, came together and
sacked the administration of former President Goodluck
Jonathan.
The Senate President was also emphatic that the President has
failed to deliver on the three pillars – Security, economy and
anti-corruption – on which Buhari and the APC campaigned for in
2015.
He carpeted the Buhari-led government for its insincerity in
fighting corruption, pointing that none of the government officials
that has been involved in corruption cases have either been charged
or prosecuted.
He alleged massive fraud in the oil sector, stating that the 50
million litres daily consumption of fuel as claimed by the
government is a big scam.
He stated: “Remember, the fuel subsidy issue is one of the
points that was used in the corruption allegation to campaign
against the Goodluck Jonathan government, who even during his days
in power was challenged when the daily fuel consumption was 22
million litres. It’s a big scam for anyone to say that we are
consuming 50 milion litres of fuel daily. Nigeria cannot consume 50
million litres of fuel daily.”
The Senate President said what is presently going on in the
corporation was a far cry from what happened during the Jonathan
administration.
“There is no doubt that there are corrupt people around the
president. If you represent a government, you must take
responsibility.
“If you head a government that is full of corrupt people and you
can’t do anything about it, you are also responsible,” Saraki said,
alluding to the culpability of the president.
“One of the main issues we labelled the Goodluck Jonathan regime
as corrupt was the fuel subsidy scam. But today, there is big time
fraud in the NNPC on the fuel subsidy issue and Buhari is aware
because they report to him.
“The main source of our revenue is the NNPC and that is where
the major corruption is. Over 50 million litres are being taken
away illegally,” Saraki alleged.
He averred that Buhari couldn’t be exempted from the scam since the
NNPC reports to him.
Saraki, who defected from the APC to the PDP last year, also
said the security challenges under the Buhari government has risen
compared to the last administration.
“The North-East was the only place that have security challenges
before 2015, but today, it has spread to the North-West and
North-Central. This represents failure from all points of
view.”
Aside corruption and insecurity, he blasted the Buhari
government over the high level of unemployment.
“They promised to create jobs, but over 20 million jobs have
been lost since this government took power about four years ago,”
he said.
Saraki accused the ruling APC of choking the PDP with the use of
security agencies. “They are frustrating the whole campaign
process, but we are determined to get our messages across. They are
scaring a lot of people and the police are allowed to break the law
and do things that are not in line with the conduct of a free and
fair election. It is those that have the strong heart that can
participate in this type of campaign.
“The apparatus of state are going about, they are arm-twisting
financial institutions. When you speak with people in financial
institutions, they will tell you they have been hounded, they are
intimidated and told to send us names of people who are withdrawing
money. Once you do that to financial institutions, they are going
to withdraw to their shells. That is happening.
“What this country is used to in leading to elections and what
we are seeing now is not the same. What we are seeing now does not
reflect a country that is having a virile democracy.”
He also accused the government of scaring away business
communities from election, stressing that fund-raising associated
with general elections is absent because business and private
individuals are scared of being chased.
“Those that should be involved in fund raising are holding back
because they are afraid that financial institutions will be asked
who and who have been withdrawing money and gone after by security
agents,” he said.
The Senate President declared that the Saraki political dynasty
in Kwara State remained as strong as ever and expressed confidence
that the PDP will maintain its dominance in the state.
He stated that the song going into all election has always been
that opposition will triumph, but it has never been so and the
experience will be the same this year.
He further lambasted the ruling party as a failed organisation,
noting that the APC has failed in all areas, including welfare of
people, but only engaged in propaganda to shore up its
popularity.
“The APC as a party is just engaging in propaganda than reality.
Today, Nigeria is classified as the world’s capital of poverty.
They promised to create more jobs, but more people have lost their
jobs”, he said.
On the coming elections, Saraki warned against anything that
could tarnish the image of the country while giving the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) the benefit of the doubt, but
asked the APC not to interfere in the affairs of the electoral
umpire.
“The image of the country is bigger than anybody, we can’t
afford to have an election that will not be free,” he said.
He also faulted the extension of the IGP’s tenure, saying that
the law doesn’t support the tenure extension.