Unending Feud Between Saraki And Tinubu. By GABRIEL ATUMEYI
Tussle for the leadership of the ninth National Assembly re-ignited the seemingly endless rancour between Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.GABRIEL ATUMEYI takes a look at the intrigues
The back and forth over how the leadership of the ninth National Assembly should be decided, took a new twist on Monday.
The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, struck a nerve when he accused the outgoing leadership of the National Assembly, under Senate President Bukola Saraki and House Speaker, Hon Yakubu Dogara, of delaying and distorting the national budget over the past four years.
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State alleged that Saraki and Dogara were infiltrating and padding the budget with pet projects that would profit them and their cronies personally.
He made this known in a statement made available to the press titled ‘Tinubu Focusing on the Issues of Today’: “Tomorrow is the Master of Itself”.
The national leader was reacting to media reports claiming that he was manipulating the APC nomination process for the National Assembly leadership to position himself for a presidential run during the 2023 election cycle.
But Saraki would have none of that. In a swift response, he challenged Tinubu to provide proof his allegation that the National Assembly padded budget for four years.
In a statement, Saraki who described Tinubu style of quarterly vicious attack on his person added that “one could see the master of media spins getting ensnared in his own game as he struggled to extricate himself from the narratives about the contest for leadership positions in the Ninth National Assembly.”
Dogara also gave a blazing response, accusing Tinubu of plotting to expand his sphere of influence into the National Assembly.
Recall that the APC failed to have its choice candidates assume leadership of the National Assembly in 2015, after Saraki outmaneuvered their former party to emerge Senate president ahead of the party’s favourite, Sen Ahmed Lawan.
It was a similar incident in the House of Representatives as Dogara beat Hon Femi Gbajiabiamila to become Speaker against the party’s wishes. Both men counted on the support of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to emerge winners.
In this dispensation, the party has again backed both Lawan and Gbajiabiamila for the top seats in the Senate and House of Representatives. Its decision is also being challenged by some lawmakers on the party’s platform who insist on contesting the positions. Many also see both anointed candidates as Tinubu’s loyalists just like in 2015.
As noted by Saraki, the war of words between the NASS leadership and Tinubu is not new. However, while it is not so distant for Dogara, the face off between Saraki and Tinubu stretches farther back to pre-2015.
Last year at the height of the defection saga, Tinubu had accused Saraki and his defecting band of pursuing self-serving interests. That they wanted automatic tickets and sharing of the national wealth which the governing APC could not guarantee.
“However, no progressive enactment bears his name for he cared not for progress. He has been more focused on changing the rules of the Senate to favour himself and changing the order of elections so as to coincide with his selfish designs,” Tinubu has said.
Saraki had in his reply stated that the decision to leave the party was forced on him by certain elements and forces within the APC who ensured that the minimum conditions for peace, cooperation, inclusion and a general sense of belonging did not exist.
He even added that Tinubu had not forgiven him for being part of those that resisted a Muslim-Muslim ticket that was proposed in 2014.
Also in December of 2018, Tinubu blasted Saraki for using the APC to give a lifeline to the opposition PDP.
Tinubu who spoke during the National Consultative Forum themed: “Nigeria on the right track” organised by the National Committee of Buhari Support Groups, said “Saraki used our mandate to give lifeline to the opposition. Leadership is about character.”
Expectedly, Saraki also took to the podium when the Presidential train of the PDP reached his home state to let the people know once again that he left the party when he realised that President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC lacked the capacity and the desire to make any change.
He added that Tinubu’s position is not premised on national interest, but on his personal interest and ambition to be president in 2023.
The rivalry between Saraki and Tinubu had somewhat played out during the presidential election with the former emerging the director general of the PDP Presidential campaign council while the later was co-chairman of the APC campaign council. But Saraki suffered major losses after the election. He didn’t just lose his return bid to the Senate, his protege for the governorship seat also lost while PDP lost the presidential election.
On the other hand, Tinubu delivered not just his state for the APC but was able to influence the emerge of a new governor despite an initial resistance by the incumbent. But more significant was the fact that the APC won the presidential election, a situation which gives him a foothold in the activities in the party.
His grip over affairs in the APC had increased with the exit of Atiku, Saraki and others in the lead up to the 2019 polls, the resignation of the former chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and the emergence of the current chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.
Still, some analysts view Tinubu’s recent attack against the current NASS leadership as a forewarning against allowing same mistake of 2015 happen again.
Public Affairs commentator, Mr Jide Ojo, said the recent war of words between Saraki and Tinubu and by extension Dogara is all about the politics of the leadership selection of the incoming National Assembly.
He said: “The elections have come and gone, so what should provoke that, because we know Bukola Saraki is not coming back. Am not sure we should give them much attention, whatever they are doing is just distraction. The issue of budget padding, there have not been any definitive court pronouncement on whether the national assembly have the power or not, and even when you look at the last National budget, there the president took exception to the increase in the budget, and the insertment of budget items that were not in the presentation.
“The defense of the national assembly is that even the president himself up till April of last year was still substituting projects and budget items. So you will find that the two of them are actually working in cohort. What is called budget padding, is but an increase in the number of constituency project, that is project for the constituency of National Assembly members.
“So for me it is not something that three characters, Saraki, Dogara and Tinubu should take very serious. I think it is just about the politics of the leadership of the next National Assembly.
Also speaking, former commissioner for information in Kogi State, Dr Tom Ohikere disclosed that Tinubu is just echoing the fears of President Buhari and the APC.
He noted that the APC and the President have a vision for the country and they just want the right people at the helm of affairs, that can help them deliver on their promise to the electorates.
He said: “ In this new dispensation, the President and the leadership of the party know what is at stake, we have learnt from experience of the last four years. We know the nuisance that the out-going principals of the national assembly constituted against the progressive agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC. We can recall the legislative fiasco under the incumbent leaders of the national Assembly. The persistent and flagrant delay in passing the annual budget.
“This is the Pressident’s last term in office and perhaps is last political showing, so he want the right ambience to push through progressive policies and leave a lasting legacy for posterity.” He said.
