'Buhari has no hand in Saraki’s ordeal'

President Muhammadu Buhari has nothing to do with Senate President Bukola Saraki’s ordeal, especially his case before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Senator Aliyu Wamako (APC, Sokoto), said at the weekend.

Wamako, a former Sokoto State governor, was among the group of senators, who accompanied Saraki when he appeared before the CCT last Tuesday.

He said: “I see Mr. President, Saraki and senators holding a meeting very soon on how to salvage democracy, which certain elements have been trying to subvert. They will find time to meet to stop our opponents from progressing with acts to sabotage our democracy.

“Once the President and the Senate leadership sit on a round-table with a resolve to re-oil the wheels of democracy for national progress, the cynics, the political rabble-rousers and those who never mean well for the APC government will go to sleep.”

He noted that Saraki, having submitted himself to the law by appearing before the CCT, has helped the case preferred against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

He urged Nigerians to stop pre-empting the course of justice.

He noted that those hoping to promote discord between Buhari and the Senate President, banking on excuses, would soon realise that democracy has advanced with more senators anxious to make it work.

Wammako said Saraki’s removal as being canvassed by those he described as “faceless groups outside the National Assembly” would end up as “an ill-wind that will blow no good for the Senate, democracy and Nigeria”.

He said: “Majority of senators weeks ago passed a vote of confidence in Saraki because they were convinced that his style of leadership has been broad and progress-inclined. Nothing has changed. Majority of our colleagues still believe that Saraki remains a stabilising factor in the Senate for now.

“A change of leadership, at this point in time and as being canvassed, will certainly spark some endless sessions of rancour, suspicion, crises and uncertainty among members. When such begin to happen, no one will be able to predict the end.”

According to the former governor, Saraki shares the same ideology of “change” with President Buhari.

He added that every step so far taken by the Senate had been inclined towards promoting the change mantra, with national progress at the core of all considerations by senators.

Wamakko noted that contrary to reports, there was no plot to replace Saraki on the strength of his case before the CCT.

He noted that the reality on the Senate issues never tallied with the reports of a search for Saraki’s replacement.

He insisted that senators were rather meeting to strengthen the Senate under Saraki with a view to recovering the lost grounds on the legislative business under the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.