Former civilian governor of the old Kaduna state, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and leaders of other opposition political parties in the county have joined those who have asked Senator Bukola Saraki to step down as Senate President as a show of respect for his office.
Balarabe Musa, who is also the national chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties said: “First of all, it depends on his conscience. If he knows that the allegations against him have anything bordering on genuineness and if he knows that he has not done anything above board, he should succumb to his conscience.
“In honour of the institution he represents, it is therefore best for him to resign in order not to undermine the position of the judge.
“If he knows that there are elements of truth in the allegations against him, he should not cost the government so much in court and thereby undermine the integrity of the bench; he should just resign. He is still young; he still has a lot of opportunities.”
The Executive Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) also called for Saraki’s resignation, Mr. Debo Adeniran asked Saraki to resign for now, saying: “if he is found to be innocent, then Nigerians would have reason to apologise to him and his dignity will be restored. If he continues to hold on to power, he is likely to lose more dignity; nobody will respect him for doing so.”
This is even as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has described Nigeria as a peculiar place, where issues of probity, integrity and adherence to the rule of law would be questioned and politicians would continue to remain in public office “as if those things don’t matter.”
According to the Executive Director of SERAP, Adetokunbo Mumuni, in saner societies, when public figures would have such burden on them, the first thing to do would be to get off the seat to clear their names by virtue of the rule of law and due process.
“If people are saying he should resign, I also support that move because as the number three man in Nigeria, he has not set a very good example. It is not a question of ‘If I was not declared senate president, nobody will remember what I did 10 years ago.’ Why didn’t he declare his assets when he was governor?
“If we are talking about equity, then we must be able to come to equity with clean hands. That is the way I see it. I have never been a subscriber to the idea of witch-hunting. Why can’t they just follow the law? The question of witch-hunting, to me, is neither here nor there. Did they comply with the law? I don’t believe in the idea that they have enemies somewhere.
“Why shouldn’t we do what is needful and proper and we now start talking about witch-hunting? Matters of criminal infraction don’t have limitations. I have never seen a defence to an infraction of law where one would say, ‘Some people were not dealt with, so I cannot be dealt with.’”
Meanwhile, the Convener of the Coalition of the Northern Politicians Academics, Professionals and Businessmen (CNPAPB), Dr. Junaid Mohammed has faulted those who called Saraki’s trial a witch-hunt, saying that the Senate President should resign.
“I believe it will be good for the Senate and the country – for political responsibility – for Bukola Saraki to resign. Unless that is done, his political influence will interfere in the process.”
The Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reform (CODER) also said that even though Saraki remained innocent until the tribunal finds him guilty, it had become morally necessary for the Senate President to resign from office.
Convener of CODER, Chief Ayo Opadokun, who was the General Secretary of the National Democratic Coalition and an ex-Secretary-General of the Afenifere, said it was not possible for all lawbreakers in the country to be tried at once.
“They have to be picked one by one.”
He said that although other lawmakers in the National Assembly might have committed similar offences on assets declaration, Saraki’s trial would serve as a good lesson to others.
“Saraki’s trial has more fundamental dimension because of the fact that someone crookedly emerged as leader of the Nigerian legislature and he has been charged for false declaration (of assets), which is a criminal offence and which carries significant punishment fashioned by the Nigerian criminal law system.
“He should resign to face the charges against him. He should have resigned long ago.” [myad]

The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari has warned against unleashing political persecution on one of his subjects, Senator Bukola Saraki, who presides over the Senate as its President.

Sulu-gambari, who led other traditional rulers in Kwara state to pledge their support for Senator Saraki said that the trial of their son by the Code of Conduct Tribunal for alleged fraud and false declaration of assets was not the change Nigerians asked for.

The monarchs warned against politics of political persecution against Saraki and that the trial of Saraki was not what bargained for from All Progressives Congress (APC).

Sulu-Gambari, who led his colleagues on a solidarity visit to Saraki’s residence in Ilorin at the weekend said that,  the trial is being used to distract and embarrass Nigerians.

The Emir of Ilorin who spoke on behalf of his colleagues added: “it would be unwise to disguise under political altar to cow perceived political enemy.”

According to him, Nigerians should be wary of bad elements who are bent on dismantling the country on account of political vendetta. [myad]

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has assured residents of Lagos that he will continue to improve on the foundation laid by his predecessor, former governor Babatunde Fashiola in the areas of infrastructural renewal.

The governor, who spoke at the 2015 Ojude Oba Epe Festival held at the Epe Recreation Ground, Epe, said the infrastructural renewal drive of the previous administration in the state would receive adequate attention in the course of his administration.

“One of the things that we did promise during the campaign is that we would continue with the infrastructural development of my predecessor and at the same time improve on it. That’s what we have started with in areas where we feel that there are immediate palliatives that we can give; we have done that but more importantly, is for us to improve on the network in which Mr. Babatunde Fashola had actually laid down,” he said.

Ambode said that he used the first three months of his administration to set up an institutional framework, assuring the people that the state would begin to witness development across the state.

“I have no choice; I have to do it for all Lagosians. That’s what I am committed to do. I have said I am going to be selfless about service and that’s what I am going to do and you will see it. What I have done in the last three months is to set up the institutional framework.

“If you want to build a house, you have to lay the foundation. You will now see what I will be doing in the next three and half years, just watch and you would see it,” he said.

The governor assured the people of Epe that development would get to the area, saying the town had witnessed less development in recent times. [myd]

The Presidency has warned those who have been spreading rumour that the Nigerian delegation to the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, led by  President Muhammadu Buhari missed a meeting on help for displaced persons to stop the mischief.
A statement by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Garba Shehi quoted Buhari as saying that anyone who created an impression that members of the Nigerian delegation were absent at an unofficial meeting, “is only being mischievous and uncharitable.”
The statement said that President Buhari and his administration remain fully committed to the rehabilitation and well-being of all persons who have been displaced or adversely affected by the Boko Haram insurgency, adding that the war against terrorism, improved security across Nigeria and additional measures to give succour to  internally displaced persons  have been central to discussions which the President had with other world leaders since his arrival in New York on Thursday night.
“The issues were dominant  in  the President’s  conversations on Friday with Chancellor Angela Merkel, the King of Spain, His Majesty Don Felipe VI and  former Prime-minister Gordon Brown who came with former President Olusegun  Obasanjo to discuss the actualization of  the safe schools initiative, which is of special interest in parts of Nigeria that is most vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
“President Buhari is handling his duty as leader of the Nigerian delegation to this year’s General Assembly with the greatest possible diligence and will certainly not tolerate any  tardiness on the part of the delegation in seizing every possible opportunity to advance Nigeria’s interests.”
The statement drew attention to the fact that it was not possible for any national delegation, no matter its size, to participate in all the meetings that are simultaneously happening in and around the General Assembly in New York.
It explained that the meeting in which Nigeria was reported to have been absent was not one the official  events of the United Nations for which President Muhammadu Buhari and his modest delegation were in New York.
“While the meeting referred to in media reports is commendable, it was not the only one or the most important of such meetings  in New York that are paying attention to the problem of insecurity, migration and violent extremism in the Lake Chad area and the rest of the world.
“Nigeria was represented earlier today  at an important side event devoted to the North-East, called by the UN Population Fund, UNFPA on “Building Stability and Resilience in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin Countries.”
The statement stressed that President Buhari is fully conscious of his responsibility to Nigeria and that he would accept nothing short of the best for Nigerians in the meetings taking place in and around the United Nations. [myad]