*Says Senate President refusing to reconvene to save his job, do his campaigns
*Raises alarm attitude portrays danger for Nigeria’s 2019
*Says intention is to destabilize Buhari’s government to give edge to PDP
*”Saraki’s game plan is to reconvene only after February 2019 elections”
By KEMI KASUMU
“Bukola Saraki’s game plan was to use the National Assembly as a weapon to fight President Muhammadu Buhari and destabilize his administration, so as to gain political advantage and ensure PDP win next election in Nigeria,” CACINI said.
The Crusade Against Corruption In Nigeria Initiative (CACINI) has raised the alarm over danger awaiting Nigeria’s 2019 should continued personalization of National Assembly by Senate President Bukola Saraki be allowed to stand.
President of the group, Mr. Waheed Seriki, made this alarm in a message he sent to The DEFENDER from Ontario, Canada Sunday night.
Seriki, who also Whatsapp-called this online newspaper to show the weight of his now over 11,000-member group’s worry, said may face hard time if Bukola Saraki does not have change of mind and reconvene the National Assembly, so that President Buhari can present 2019 budget to the legislature for timely deliberation and approval.
It would be recalled that President Buhari’s government had announced its plans to make 2019 national budget ready by September to fast-track the legislative process for quick passage ahead of time.
But Saraki, because of some political reasons that many even within his new party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have described as personal to him to enable him save his job as Senate President, has failed on four occasions to fulfill the resumption time for legislative function of government to move on.
According to CACINI, “Tthe embattled Senate President has shutdown the National Assembly for more than a month now, for fear of being impeached if the NASS is in operation. Also, to have time to campaign for his presidential bid in People Democratic Party (PDP).
“Despite the call by Nigerians for the National Assembly to be reopened for the effective running of government by the executive arm, the Senate President and his caucus in the Senate and House of Representatives deliberately ignored the call and refused to open the two house for fear of being impeached by the All Progressive Congress (APC) majority members in the two houses.
“Bukola Saraki also refused to open the NASS so that he and Yakubu Dogara will have enough time to concentrate on their nomination campaigns for positions in PDP without distraction from the National Assembly.
“The action of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives will jeopardise President Buhari’s effort of continuing to provide good governance on economic and infrastructural development for the country.
“Saraki and his caucus in the NASS calculated attempt was to make the country ungovernable for President Muhammadu Buhari and collapse his administration as 2019 election is fast approaching, so as to give Saraki and his group edge in 2019 election.
“Because of his hunger for power, Saraki does not care whether the shutdown of the NASS affects more than 180 million Nigerians or not. His main goal is to contest and win 2019 presidential election and he is ready to sacrifice the nation for his ambition to materialize.
“This lackadaisical attitude of Saraki may have serious consequences on the implementation of the Nigerian workers demand for pay increment, if they eventually reach an agreement with the Federal Government because, the new salary structure will still have to be ratified by NASS before it can take effect. This may not happen if Bukola Saraki continues to refuse to open the legislative chambers.
“It is time for Nigerians to stand up against Bukola Saraki and his boys in the National Assembly and mount pressure on them to reconvene the two houses in the interest of all Nigerians, otherwise NNAS may not open until after 2019 presidential election.
“Bukola Saraki’s game plan was to use the National Assembly as a weapon to fight President Muhammadu Buhari and destabilize his administration, so as to gain political advantage and ensure PDP win next election in Nigeria,” COCINI said.
