Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said he never referred or mentioned
former President Olusegun Obasanjo as responsible for Nigeria’s economic
and political woes.
He said his opinion that mistakes have been made in the past was a
reference to all political office holders, civil society and even the
media.
On Tuesday, Saraki was quoted to have said that all public office holders
in Nigeria since 1999, were guilty of the mistakes of the past that led
the country to its present political and economic mess.
Saraki stated this while responding to a question on the secrecy of the
National Assembly’s budget and corruption levelled against it by former
President Olusegun Obasanjo in a recent letter.
However, his media office alleged in a statement that the Senate President
was quoted out of context.
He said:
The Media Office of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has described
a report in which he was said to have replied President Olusegun Obasanjo
while speaking to journalists after the presentation of the newly
remodeled and refurbished Senate Press Centre as mere mischief,
misrepresentation and undue sensationalism.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity,
Yusuph Olaniyonu, stated that during the presentation of the press centre,
he was asked only two questions, both of which centered on the 2016
budget. One was on how realistic the budget proposal under consideration
is, in view of dwindling oil price and the other on whether the details of
the Senate Budget will be made open, particularly in view of the letter by
President Obasanjo.
“The Senate President’s answer on the first question was that the success
of the 2016 will depend less on oil price but more on the non-oil and
independent revenue and that that is why the Senate will lay emphasis on
the scrutiny of these areas as well as ensure that leakages are blocked so
that the budget can be realized without any hitch.
“On the second question, he reiterated his earlier position that the
Senate budget will no longer be a one-line item. He said details of the
budget of the National Assembly will be provided for all to see what goes
to what budget head. He urged all Nigerians to realize that mistakes have
been made by all stakeholders in the past and that we should all move
forward by ensuring those mistakes are not repeated.
“In fact his position that mistakes have been made by all of us in the
past was a reference to all stakeholders like political office holders,
the media, civil society, professional and business groups, among others.
” Dr. Saraki will like to maintain his earlier position that he will only
write a formal letter to President Obasanjo to explain all the efforts the
Eight Senate is making to address some of the issues the former President
raised in his letter to him. The Senate President will not use any public
event or the media to give any direct or indirect response to the
legitimate points raised by the elder statesman and father of the nation.
” The Senate President further urged the media to refrain from
sensationalism which leads to twisting and misrepresentation of the
position of public officers and therefore further create unnecessary
tension in the polity. The urge to sell newspapers should not override the
need for ethical standard and accuracy in presentation of news to be
maintained. The media should equally be sensitive to other people’s
feelings”, he stated.