‘I’m not being sponsored by oil barons,’ Senate President says

Saraki stated this in response to a comment made by All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Bisi Akande on Sunday, June 28, 2015.

Akande had said that Saraki’s emergence, in defiance of the APC, was sponsored by oil barons and the Northern elite.

Read the Senate President’s statement below:

“Again, the attention of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has been drawn to a malicious, false and totally reprehensible news report, wherein it insinuated that the election of Dr. Bukola Saraki as the Senate President of the 8th Senate was facilitated by Nigerians associated with dubious claims in the infamous oil subsidy.”

“The news report went further to give a negative and dirty impression that the emergence of the President of the 8th Senate is aimed to sabotage the anti corruption posture of President Buhari led Federal Govt as well as sabotage the 'Change agenda' of the APC”

“One of such desperate attempts to justify this blackmail and others was the story published in newspapers of Monday June 29 2015 as contained in a statement issued by the former Interim National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande.”

“Ordinarily, we would have ignored the report, but for the sole reason that some undiscerning readers might mistake the fiction for the facts. We also wish to state unequivocally that it was wrong and mischievous for the statement by Chief Akande to link what happened on the floor of both chambers to some unnamed oil barons.”

“We dare say that the entire story was the figment of the imagination of the author. We make bold to state that in the 7th Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki was Chairman of the Senate Adhoc Committee which exposed the fraud and mismanagement in the oil sector.”

“Saraki went further to oppose the inclusion of kerosene subsidy in the 2015 budget as well as his opposition to Petroleum Swop deal by NNPC. Let it be known therefore that the Senate Presidency of Dr. Bukola Saraki would not in any way be a stumbling block against President Buhari’s posture against anti-corruption.”

“Senator Bukola Saraki is determined and focused to achieve the Senate targeted legislative agenda and he is committed to support President Buhari to deliver on his promises to the people of Nigeria.”

Akande had also accused Saraki of conniving with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in order to hamper President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption efforts.