Former Kwara state governor and one of the leaders of the breakaway “New PDP”,Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki representing Kwara central in current Senate chamber insisted Sunday that the group would not compromise on the principle of ‘fairness and equity’ in the affairs of the party in the bid to settle the ongoing logjam in the ruling party.
Saraki who made this position known while fielding questions from newsmen in Ilorin also expressed deep concern over withdrawal of his security aides by the Inspector General of Police saying that it would endanger his life and that Federal Government should be held responsible in the event that anything happened to him, even as he expressed his resolve to seek redress in the law court.
Senator Saraki
The senator who said he was in Ilorin to brief his followers on development within the party dismissed claims by any group to the leadership of the party in the state, pointing out that it will be impossible for any politician to use ‘the tactics of 1999′ to handle the political strategy of 2013.
According to him,”My assurance to all my people since I came for this series of meeting with the various levels of leadership is that negotiations are still going on but we won’t compromise some fundamentals; we won’t compromise on fairness and equity. And what the people are telling me is that they are with me wherever we go.
“Politics is all about people, how many people are with you not a matter of nomenclature or press statements. You can see all the members of the house of assembly, the CWC of the party, the executive of local governments etc are here with me”.
“The politics of 2013 is different from that of 1999. What could be done then cannot be done now. Now you have to fight for the confidence of the people.”
On the withdrawal of security personnel attached to the former governor,his media aide Mr Bamikole Omishore pointed out in a statement made available to journalists that the development is a breach of the law and can only be linked with the crisis within the PDP.
Text of the statement reads: “Yesterday, the Inspector General of police directed the immediate withdrawal of security personnel detailed to the former Governor of Kwara State and current Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Bukola Saraki.
” The security personnel withdrawn are from the Senator’s residences in Abuja and Ilorin. The inspector, who carried out the exercise, when confronted, disclosed that it was an order from above.
“It should be noted that the withdrawn security men are legal rights as prescribed by virtue of Kwara State Pension Law of 2010, Third Schedule, Section 2 (3) paragraph H. The Security details attached to Senator Saraki are therefore formally processed, approved and dispatched to his residences not out of favour or luxury demands”.
“In view of this new development, it is evidently clear to us that this cannot be unconnected with the recent political activities going on in the country. No doubt, recent events in the nation have been taking strange and tragic dimensions but we have to look beyond our individual interests and let the weight of making Nigeria great dominate our minds as leaders and citizens as Nigeria is bigger than an individual.
“In view of the above position of the law, the Nigerian police have contravened the law and disregarded same. We view this action as an act of harassment and intimidation to the person of Senator Saraki and we shall not hesitate to seek legal redress against this arbitrary decision.
“We wish to state that the recent move by the Nigerian police authorities will definitely endanger the life of Senator Bukola Saraki. We hereby call on good citizens of Nigeria to hold the Federal Government responsible for any eventuality considering the fact that there are illegal arms going round the country without being properly checked.
“Finally, Senator Saraki wishes to re affirm his commitment and readiness to uphold the virtue of democracy, good governance, rule of law, equity and justice even in the face of this present intimidation and harassment as those are part of the sacrifices we must all make for a better Nigeria we will all be proud of.”
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