The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has disclosed that Senate under his leadership only preoccupies her mind on how to deliver on quality and credible legislations for the generality of Nigerians and not the 2019 Presidency for now. Saraki dropped this during an interview with a group of Journalists.
Saraki said: “You are not the first and you will not be the last person to ask me this question. We won election in 2015. We have not yet delivered. Majority of the people, we should be talking about how we are going to deliver, they are talking about 2019.
“This is time for governance. When it is time for politics, it is time for politics. If I give any answer to your question, I am also helping to overheat the polity. Everybody should leave that issue of 2019, so we can concentrate on governance. He added.
According to the Senate President, “When we formed APC in 2013 and people asked if I was going to contest for President, I said count me out. You have many questions; keep this one in your pocket, when we get to 2019, you can come and ask me about that. What you should be asking me now and what I’m going to answer now is issues related to governance. Many of the distraction that we are suffering in the Senate, is because of 2019, from forces outside.”
Saraki, also maintained that there is no rift between him and President Muhammadu Buhari as being speculated in some quarters. Adding that, there is a cordial relationship between him and the President. “We have a very good relationship.”
The Senate President was quick to separate Mr President from any head of agency abusing the Senate and causing problem. “You asked what my relationship with President Buhari is? You must separate that from any head of an agency that decided to abuse National Assembly and cause a problem. He declared.
He also quarried, “Was it President Buhari that said, go there and abuse them? I am sure it was not so. I don’t think President Buhari told anyone to get up and say that all Senators are armed robbers.
Saraki pointed out that, those people decided on their own, that is the way they want to relate with the Senate, so we must separate that from President Buhari. He said.
Former Governor of Kwara State stated further that, “There is a lot of misinformation out there. From Day One I took a position, and some very powerful people don’t like the position. When you want to know who is loyal to you, it is during your trying moments. Go back two months ago. Who was it who stood up resolutely and said Mr President will be back and there is no cause for alarm? I don’t think a man who is not loyal to you will do that. We know some people who went to London and saw President Buhari, but they just left. They did not say anything.
He however reiterated his commitment to deliver on his mandate, he said, “ My message to all our party’s supporters is that I am committed, that whatever we promised Nigerians, we will deliver.
“For some of us, this government cannot be allowed to fall. We left one party with our supporters and embarked on this journey. We must be able to go back to them, and tell them that, that journey was worth it. If God forbid this government fails, what will I go back and tell them? It is my personal political interest to see that this government succeeds.” He affirmed.