ABUJA – Leader of Like Minds group of Senators that sponsored Sen. Bukola Saraki for Senate President has debunked media reports (not the Nigerian Observer group) making the round that oil merchants and certain political big wigs were responsible for his victory in the last election held at the Senate chamber.
In a press statement yesterday, the LM leader, Sen. Dino Melaye, who also seconded Sen. Saraki’s nomination for the Senate President post, described the reports as “lies from the pit of hell”.
The statement titled “Re: How oil barons, others hijacked Senate, House election”, reads:
“The attention of the Senators of Like Minds have been drawn to a malicious, false and totally reprehensible news report by the Nation Newspapers on Sunday June 14, 2015 wherein it insinuated that the election of Dr. Bukola Saraki as the Senate President of the 8th Senate was facilitated by Nigerians associated with dubious claims in the infamous oil subsidy.
The news report went further to give a negative and dirty impression that the emergence of the President of the 8th Senate is aimed to sabotage the anti corruption posture of President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government.
One of such desperate attempts to justify their failure, blackmail and others was the story published by the NATION newspapers on Saturday June 13, 2015. The said report written by Yusuf Ali, the Managing Editor (Northern Operations) of the newspaper was captioned: How oil barons, others hijacked Senate, House election.
Ordinarily, we would have ignored the report given the writer’s antecedents in arm chair reporting but for the sole reason that some undiscerning readers might mistake the fiction for the facts.
We also wish to state unequivocally that it was wrong and mischievous for the writer of the fictional piece to link what happened on the floor of both chambers to some unnamed ex-ministers of the immediate past administration.
We dare say that the entire story, detailed as it may seem, was the figment of the imagination of the author. That the story was packed full of insinuations and wild allegations and the writer evaded specificity in the names of the dramatist personae throughout the story smacks of bad journalism.
We make bold to state that in the 7th Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki was Chairman of the Senate Adhoc Committee which exposed the fraud and mismanagement in the oil sector. Until Saraki’s motion on the floor of the senate , no one was in the picture of the rot in the sector. Therefore, surely, Senator Saraki will be the last person the oil baron will want to see as Senate President.
In that position, Saraki did not only lead his colleagues in exposing the rot in the scheme but made very strong recommendations on how the system could be reformed and made corrupt- free.
Further to this, during the Senate hearing on the missing $20 Billion, for those who attended the public hearing, Senator Saraki led the onslaught of difficult questions to both the Minister of Finance, Minister of Petroleum and other federal agencies despite being in the ruling party then. To this effect, Senator Saraki refused to sign the final copy of the committee’s report but rather put forward a minority report with a press statement that follow suit. Saraki went further to oppose the inclusion of kerosine subsidy in the 2015 budget as well as his opposition to Petroleum Swop deal by NNPC.
Let it be known therefore that the Senate Presidency of Dr. Bukola Saraki would not in any way be a stumbling block against President Buhari’s posture against anti corruption. Rather, the 8th Senate under him as the President would give all necessary legislative support to the administration to fight and reduce corruption as his previous actions and bold step taken against the so called oil barons indicates that Saraki is committed to anti corruption.
For avoidance of doubt, we want to make it abundantly clear that it is totally false, untrue and calculated mischief to suggest that Senator Saraki’s emergence as Senate President was facilitated by oil barons. This is a case of calling the dog a bad name so as to hang it. Another blatant lies that can not fly.
Senator BukolaSaraki is determined and focused to achieve the Senate targeted legislative agenda and he is committed to support President Buhari to deliver on his promises to the people of Nigeria. Signed: Senator Dino Melaye”.

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