Former Senate President Bukola Saraki don yarn strong word against Kwara State government for how dem dey handle insecurity matter for di state. For exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP newspaper, Saraki compare current security wahala for Kwara to wen he be governor from 2003 to 2011, and he talk say di situation don turn worse well well. He talk say available facts show clear deterioration for security performance for di state.
Saraki talk say security matter no suppose dey politicize, but di facts dey clear. “I no dey manufacture facts; you no dey manufacture am, you dey report wetin you see. And di facts clearly show say insecurity don worsen seriously for di state,” he yarn. He remember say from di time he be governor and even to di time of his successor from 2011 to 2019, Kwara never see dis kain insecurity level before.
Di former governor ask wetin don change for di state security architecture, as he suggest say insecurity don spread across Nigeria but don become more serious for Kwara. He talk say, “So di question be say, wetin don change? Na because insecurity for Nigeria don worsen for dat area? But if you compare am to Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Benin, Kwara no be like dis before. Never, never see am before. So, to me, e clear say government no keep dia eye for di ball.”
According to Saraki, effective security management require prevention and consistent engagement with security agencies instead of reactive responses. He talk say, “Wen you talk about security, e no be wetin you do after e don happen, na wetin you do to prevent am from happening. I know wen I be governor, wetin we dey do, to dey on top of di game, and di kain interaction we dey get with security agents. We dey hold regular security council meetings, regular. No be security meeting under tree, just to show optics. Regular engagement with security agencies.”
Saraki also suggest say armed groups dey exploit weak governance structure across states, as dem dey shift operations to areas wey get less resistance. He talk say, “So, wetin I think happen be say bandits don look places wey get least resistance. Because at di end of di day, some don move. Dem dey bad before, maybe for Sokoto, Kebbi. Den dem move to Niger. Den dem now look where government no dey up its game. I mean, places like Kwara, wey before dey see as safe and secure.”
He add say government don fail to respond well to emerging threats. “So, clearly, government don miss dat one. And dat one clear. But wen you talk like dis, instead of dem to accept failure, and see am for wetin e be. Dem go talk say na because you dey opposition and dat no be e. Kwara never see dis level of insecurity since dem create am. Never for di history of di state. But honestly, e unfortunate say we find ourselves here,” Saraki talk.
Saraki call for more accountable and people-oriented government wey fit restore peace and stability for di state. He talk say, “Dat na why we dey hope say for Kwara, we go bring proper, accountable, dynamic, people-oriented government wey go fit push out dese bandits and restore peace and stability.”
For separate matter, Demola Olarewaju, Senior Political Assistant to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, don talk say Saraki don indirectly endorse President Bola Tinubu for second term for office. Dis one come after Saraki appear for Channels Television Politics Today programme on Thursday, where he address di crisis wey dey rock Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Saraki, wey be former Governor of Kwara State, dem ask am if him friendship with Minister of Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike indicate endorsement of President Tinubu. He talk say, “You no fit extrapolate dat. My friendship dey based on wetin we go do about dis party. I find him style, him views fit dey different, but dat PDP no must die. PDP must fit provide platform for people to contest elections. Dat, I no dey doubt for any way, na di sincerity where he stand, dat na where I stand.”
On calls for Presidency to remain for South, wey favour Tinubu re-election, Saraki talk say, “Nigerians choose to elect President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from di South for 2023. I think e only fair, for my view, to allow di South to complete di eight years.”
Atiku aide Olarewaju describe Saraki words as indirect endorsement of President Tinubu for second term. He share for X say, “Respect to Sen. Bukola Saraki, but to argue for Southern President while Tinubu dey power na indirect endorsement of Tinubu second term and ignoring of Nigeria tripartite balance at Independence for 1960, and 6 zone arrangement since 1999.”
For another development, Saraki don clear President Bola Tinubu of any hand for him prosecution during di administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari. For Channels TV Politics Today programme on Friday evening, Saraki dismiss claim say Tinubu get some level of influence during Buhari administration.
For September 2015, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) file charges of false asset declaration against Saraki at Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). Di former senate president talk say e no go fair to accuse Tinubu of being part of him ordeals at dat time, as he note say dem prosecute am for taking actions wey dey “best interest of Nigeria.”
Saraki talk say, “Dat one no fair on President Ahmed Bola Tinubu because you and I know say for those days of former President Muhammadu Buhari administration, he no get dat say wey dem claim he get. My own concern be say I dey do wetin I feel dey interest of di country as president of di senate, and for doing dose things, dem prosecute me. Bola Tinubu no be part of di people wey take di decision and implement going to code of conduct or di Offa robbery or di forgery of national assembly. Dat na di executive part of government.”
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