No more free money like GEJ’s time – APC spokesman

The spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, has said that President Buhari’s administration does not share money like the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan did.

The APC spokesman said this while fielding questions in an interview with Punch.

According to him, “…the major problem is that people are expecting the flow of easy money like it used to happen during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan but now you must work for every kobo you get, no more free money anywhere.

“The way they used to share the money is no longer there. They are angry because Buhari is not sharing money. So, some of them are defecting because of that. When you work and get paid, you will spend such money wisely; nobody will go out and spend the money he genuinely earns carelessly.

“Those days when you went to the airport, you would see a lot of private jets, go to Maitama and Asokoro, you will see a lot of houses and people are not living in them. As far as I am concerned, the president has done more and my belief is that we need to re-elect the president so that the policies put in place can be stabilised because if all our institutions begin to work, the presidency will have less to do but if our institutions fail to work, it will be a problem.

“These institutions must really work. Anybody that is complaining that the President is not doing anything must still be living in the past. I don’t blame them; it takes time for that PDP blood to leave the system; it takes time for them to see the reality of life.”

Saraki was caught

Nabena also said that the Senate President, Bukola Sarakihad no choice but to leave the ruling party because his ‘double game’ was discovered.

He said “The President of the Senate had no choice because he wanted to play a double game and he was caught. He wanted to remain within the party in order to kill it. From the beginning, you will agree with me that he was never faithful to the party. The coup d’état he plotted with PDP senators to become Senate President against the wishes of the party is there for everyone to see. That he has left today is not a surprise to most of us; he was never present, he only used the party to achieve his personal agenda.

“All the people that left our party were those who left based on their personal interests; it has nothing to do with our performance or lack of it. Take Saraki for example, he left the party because we could not offer what he was asking for."

What Saraki really wanted APC to do for him

When asked what the Senate President wanted, Nabena said “He wants our presidential ticket, Kwankwaso the same, Tambuwal the same, so who else do you want to call?”

“Just like I have just told you; people like Saraki as Senate President are using their positions to negotiate with government which is not possible with this government.

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“This government is serious about the anticorruption fight. How can we live with a situation which Saraki put the APC-led administration in by having a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party as Deputy Senate President? And on top of that, he now wants to be president when we have a sitting president who has indicated interest in seeking for a second term. All that Saraki is doing is to pursue his selfish interest; he is not interested in the people,” he added.

The ruling APC has been mounting pressure on the Senate President to resign following his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).