Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has urged the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki not to join the federal government in ruining Nigeria by supporting President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for external loan of $29.96 billion.
The governor called on the Senate President to pitch his tent with Nigerians and not because of his own personal interests join Buhari to destroy Nigeria, saying; “Senator Saraki must know that no matter how
much he tries to warm himself into the hearts of the Aso Villa Cabal, they can never love him and accept him into their fold.”
In a release issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose asked; “what is the economic sense in taking over N12 trillion loan so as to be able to spend more money during economic recession? How can a nation be proposing to spend more money when its income has reduced considerably?
“Yes, it is being argued that nations in recession must spend to get out of recession, but in the case of Nigeria, how do we pay back when as at today, 30 percent of our income is being used to service debt?
What will happen to our economy when over 60 percent of our income is being used to service debt?”
He said the Senate must be mindful of the reality that “many States in Nigeria are unable to pay workers salary now because of the huge debt left behind by past governments.”
The statement read; “When the Senate unanimously threw out President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for external loan of $29.96 billion, many Nigerian heaved a sigh of relief and hailed the Senate.
In a swift response, Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has advised politicians and the media to stop peddling empty speculations about his recent visits to the Presidential Villa and linking such visits to the request by the Buhari administration for approval of the National Assembly to get $29.9bn loan from foreign sources.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, stated that in all his recent meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the issue of the proposed loan has never come up for discussion.
He noted that the comments by some politicians on the loan issue without any factual basis was “unfortunate”. ” Like I once told the media, these politically-motivated commentaries are trivialising a serious national issue and presenting it as if it is a personal matter that can be decided at meetings between Saraki and President Muhammadu Buhari”, he stated.
“The National Assembly which I head as Senate President has taken a position on the issue as required of it by the laws of the land and legislative conventions.
“At every point, the present National Assembly will make decisions based on national interest and we have vowed that we will always act in the interest of our people. That is why despite the fact that members belong to different parties, when national issues come to the floor we forget about party affiliations and act as Nigerians elected to protect the interest of Nigeria.
“A visit to the Presidency by the Senate President is a normal thing because we need to consult, discuss, exchange ideas and make suggestions to each other from time to time. More importantly, at this time, when the nation is facing economic crisis, there is need for frequent engagements by the Presidency and the National Assembly.
“It is in fact very unfortunate that these empty speculations by the media are now forming the basis for commentaries by some politicians who are in a position to be better informed. Politicians should stop playing to the gallery or drawing political capital from all issues. When serious national issues are on ground, we should refrain from making statements based on mere sentiments. Similarly, the media should exercise restraint in their reportage and commentaries in order to properly serve our people.
“At a time when we are about to prepare a budget which is aimed at responding to the current recession and our plan is to ensure all issues concerning the budget are ironed out before the budget comes to the floor so that we will have a less tedious process than that of last year, the media should be ready to witness more of these engagements between the Presidency and the National Assembly”, Saraki stated.
“However, unfolding events in the last few days suggest a dangerous alliance between the presidency and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to ensure the approval of the $29.96 billion loan at all cost.
Feelers getting to the public suggest that the ongoing Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) trial of Senator Bukola Saraki is being used as blackmail to get him to back the $29.96 billion loan.
“Senator Saraki should be mindful that the $29.9 billion loan will do incalculable damage to the country’s ailing economy because of the amount presently being used by the federal government to service loan monthly.
“Therefore, Senate Saraki must not allow himself to be seen as using the future of Nigeria as negotiation for his own interests.
“He must know that no matter what he does to the Aso Villa Cabal to achieve their aims, it won’t change their minds concerning his travails.
“He should be reminded that despite that he assisted the Aso Villa Cabal to pass the controversial 2016 budget and cleared all the
ministerial nominees, they never stopped plotting to bring him down.“This time around therefore, the Senate President should be mindful of riding on the back of this political tiger that is roaring to consume everyone as he can only get momentary reprieve. He will eventually end in the stomach of the tiger!
“Senator Saraki should remember that only the cowards die many times before their death. Even if he gives his life as ransom for President Buhari, that won’t stop his persecution.
“Instead of collaborating with the Aso Villa Cabal to plunge the present and future generations of Nigerians into the bondage of debt,Senator Saraki should pitch his tent with Nigerians, who are against the $29.96 billion loan and write his name in gold, like Senator Ken Nnamani did when he rejected Obasanjo’s third term agenda.”
In a swift response, Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has advised politicians and the media to stop peddling empty speculations about his recent visits to the Presidential Villa and linking such visits to the request by the Buhari administration for approval of the National Assembly to get $29.9bn loan from foreign sources.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, stated that in all his recent meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the issue of the proposed loan has never come up for discussion.
He noted that the comments by some politicians on the loan issue without any factual basis was “unfortunate”. ” Like I once told the media, these politically-motivated commentaries are trivialising a serious national issue and presenting it as if it is a personal matter that can be decided at meetings between Saraki and President Muhammadu Buhari”, he stated.
“The National Assembly which I head as Senate President has taken a position on the issue as required of it by the laws of the land and legislative conventions.
“At every point, the present National Assembly will make decisions based on national interest and we have vowed that we will always act in the interest of our people. That is why despite the fact that members belong to different parties, when national issues come to the floor we forget about party affiliations and act as Nigerians elected to protect the interest of Nigeria.
“A visit to the Presidency by the Senate President is a normal thing because we need to consult, discuss, exchange ideas and make suggestions to each other from time to time. More importantly, at this time, when the nation is facing economic crisis, there is need for frequent engagements by the Presidency and the National Assembly.
“It is in fact very unfortunate that these empty speculations by the media are now forming the basis for commentaries by some politicians who are in a position to be better informed. Politicians should stop playing to the gallery or drawing political capital from all issues. When serious national issues are on ground, we should refrain from making statements based on mere sentiments. Similarly, the media should exercise restraint in their reportage and commentaries in order to properly serve our people.
“At a time when we are about to prepare a budget which is aimed at responding to the current recession and our plan is to ensure all issues concerning the budget are ironed out before the budget comes to the floor so that we will have a less tedious process than that of last year, the media should be ready to witness more of these engagements between the Presidency and the National Assembly”, Saraki stated.
