Why Saraki must resign now – Tinubu

The defacto National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ahmed Bola Tinubu has called for the immediate resignation of the President of the Senate Bukola Saraki on the grounds of alleged corruption and falsification of assets declaration.

Tinubu who spoke through the Chairman of Editorial Board of the Nation Newspaper, Sam Omatseye on Monday in a piece tagged “Oloye Eleyinmi,” called on Saraki to emulate great leaders who were faced with scandals but chose to “tow the path of honour by throwing in the towel.”

Saraki was arraigned by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, for alleged false asset declaration when he assumed office as Governor of Kwara State over a decade ago.

Saraki had pleaded ‘’not guilty’’ to the 13-count charges filed against him.

Condemning Saraki‘s arraignment before the CCT, a legislator who spoke on the condition of anonymity said “Somebody campaigned and won elections as his state governor donkey years ago.

“He served meritoriously for two terms of four years each and was voted to represent his people in the Senate. He did his first term and got a second term. Now he is the Senate President. Suddenly some people want him out at all costs because he is not their choice.”

He said that every Senator must jealously guard the sanctity of the legislature, adding; “yes, he belongs to the APC. But our Senate President must be protected and the sanctity of his office and indeed, the Senate maintained.

“We abhor the self-serving politics people are bringing in. Have they so easily forgotten the Aminu Tambuwal scenario and the damage it eventually did to the PDP?”

Stating why Saraki should resign Omatseye said that Tinubu did the needful when he was arraigned before the CCT and cleared himself from the charges against him.

The statement reads in part; “Tinubu did not hide like Oloye (Saraki) He did not say he was above the law. He had even earlier won a case against Ribadu’s EFCC with a N10 million damages awarded to him.

“He said in a release after he was acquitted: ‘I was ready to defend my name and most importantly blunt the dangling sword of Damocles over my head. Then I challenged them to go to court and maintained that those who allege must prove.
“I am glad that the Code of Conduct Tribunal, consistent with the laws of the land and after painstaking trial, have dispensed of my case.’
“In 2002, the U.S. Senate Leader and equivalent of Senate President in Nigeria, Trent Lott, fell into scandal. He had uttered a statement that affirmed he was a racist. He said he voted for Strum Thurmond, a self-confessed segregationist, who hated freedom for blacks.
“Lott asserted in the man’s 100th birthday that he supported him still. The statement triggered a windstorm that swept him out of office as the top legislator in the land.
“The world has seen quite of few scandals. In Nigeria, scandal often is associated with murder and financial fraud.
“ In other lands, it adds a steamy context: sex. John Edwards loft his prestige and ended his quest to be U.S. President when he was caught in an affair, especially when his wife was dying of cancer.
“We know of the Keating Five about lobbying corruption, and it involved five U.S. senators. In Italy, we know of Silvio Berlusconi, playboy, pedophile, gangster, fraud and swindler and his famous party for nubile girls called bunga bunga. Lott resigned when the American public frowned. But here we want a way out. Well, Eleyinmi would have to confront the bear ahead.
“Already his friends are shopping for his replacement. He is literally and metaphorically in a box. Who will help Eleyinmi?”

Political animosity broke out when Saraki emerged as Senate President on June 9 contrary to the choice of the party and Tinubu who had already “anointed” Ahmad Lawan.

After the emergence of Saraki, Tinubu vowed not to recognize him as the Senate President while blasting President Muhammadu Buhari for “perceived neutrality.”

Earlier, Tinubu’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu representing Lagos Central in the Senate refused to shake hands with Saraki.

This happened when Saraki was administering the oath of office and allegiance on the 28 APC Senators who were absent at the formal inauguration of the Eighth Senate.

Many have questioned the deafening silence of the APC on the ongoing trial of the Senate President, a position some political pundits have described as a “bad way to treat a party man.”