Politics

We’ll never cover up Corruption- Saraki

Published

9 years ago

March 14, 2016

Senate-President-Bukola-Saraki

Senate President, Bukola Saraki says the present senate under his leadership will never cover corruption except if the information didn’t come to them. Saraki said this while speaking with a team of editors of the London based “The Economist” newspaper at the weekend.

“Under my watch, the Senate will never cover corruption except if the information didn’t come to us”, he said.

According to a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Mohammed Isa, Saraki said the Senate is ever ready to partner with President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the success of the anti-corruption war. The Senate, he said had already demonstrated such commitment through its interventions on many alleged corrupt transactions such as its swift investigation and adoption of a report on the management of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) that saved the nation about N7billion and the exposure of the inconsistencies in the 2016 budget.

The step, he said was a departure from the past where such reports were either watered-down or not presented for debate and adoption. He cited the report he presented to the last Senate on the over N1trillion fuel subsidy scam that never saw the light of the day.

In furtherance to the commitment, the Senate President said Nigerians would in the next few weeks be availed with the details of the National Assembly budget which will be a departure from the tradition of having one line item budget.

“For the first time we promised Nigerians to give out our budget breakdown. The committee will make its report available by next week. We are resolved to break the tradition of one line item,” he said.

Saraki said though party differences exist between the senators, citing example of the leadership tussle, he, however said, national interest and the desire of each senator to fulfil the promises made to Nigerians have become the guiding principle of the senate in their team work.

On the economy, he said the Senate has embarked on series of legislative interventions to create conducive environment for the private sector, as he said, “it is only when the private sector thrives that the issue of unemployment will be addressed and the nation’s GDP will increase.”

“Few days ago, we received a report on the laws that need to be amended in order of priority importance to ease doing business and overall private sector participation in the stimulation of Nigeria’s economy. We will soon commence the implementation of the recommendations in the report in addition to pushing for the amendment of the Procurement Act to stimulate and protect our local industries,” he assured.

He blamed lack of firmness and consistency in policy implementation by the past administrations as the main obstacle for the growth of the private sector.

“If people have confidence that these policies have come to stay, nothing will stop them from coming to invest in the country,” he stressed.

He allayed the fears that the low prices of oil will have negative impact on the implementation of the 2016 budget, saying that, “what we need to do is to block leakages and show more transparency.”

“If we can block leakages, stop the wastages and institute a culture of transparency in governance, the revenue in-flow will not be substantially affected. Without these, even if oil is sold at more than a $100 per barrel, we will continue to witness a decline in revenue in-flow as we witnessed in the past,” Saraki said.

News

2027: Ex-Lawmaker Urges Makinde Not to Contest Against Tinubu

Published

4 hours ago

June 2, 2025

lagoslately

Jude Idimogu, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State and former lawmaker, has cautioned Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde against considering a presidential run against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos, Idimogu, who also serves as the Deputy Leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, described such a move as a futile endeavor that would ultimately waste time and resources.

“The reality is that Governor Seyi Makinde cannot defeat President Bola Tinubu. Tinubu will secure re-election by God’s grace. Nothing will stop his victory,” Idimogu stated.

He further described President Tinubu as a strategic leader and “game changer” whose political prowess remains unmatched in Nigeria.

While acknowledging that Governor Makinde has the constitutional right to seek any elective office, Idimogu expressed doubt that Makinde would heed calls urging him to challenge Tinubu, especially given their cordial relationship.

Addressing the emergence of a potential opposition coalition ahead of 2027, the former lawmaker dismissed its chances of unseating Tinubu, asserting that no alliance could stand in the way of the president’s re-election.

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Tinubu’s Government Inherited almost No Project In South East, but there are many projects in southeast today —David Umahi

Published

2 weeks ago

May 22, 2025

lagoslately

“In the South-East, we inherited almost no project, but today, we have the Owerri to Onitsha road ongoing, the Enugu to Onitsha project is ongoing, and so is the Enugu to Abakaliki road.

“The Second Niger Bridge, serving both Delta and Anambra states, is also progressing steadily.”

Commending the president for prioritising infrastructure as a means to grow the nation’s GDP, Umahi said;

“Mr President, we may have challenges, but I must commend you very highly because you understand that it is the works sector that grows the GDP of a nation, upon which other sectors build. I feel privileged to work under you. You are a great man.”

News

Nigerian Army Lacks Equipment to Combat Boko Haram – Governor Zulum

Published

2 weeks ago

May 21, 2025

lagoslately

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has raised concerns over the Nigerian Army’s insufficient equipment in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents. According to him, the insurgents are now leveraging advanced technology, putting Nigerian soldiers at a disadvantage.

“Recently, I met with the Chief of Army Staff who revealed that the Army needs 32 drones to effectively combat the insurgency,” Zulum said. “Each drone costs about $5.5 million. We must pool resources to acquire them and prioritize national security.”

The governor also stressed the importance of transparent procurement processes. “We need to focus on direct, government-to-government procurement of military equipment, both hardware and software, to ensure value for money,” he said. “Contractors often fail to deliver when funds are handed over to them.”

Zulum called for unity and cooperation between the federal and state governments. “If we are truly committed, this insurgency can be ended in six months. We must not politicize security issues. The Federal Government must listen and act.”