BEVERLY HILLS, May 31, (THEWILL) – The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has stated that he was one of those who worked tirelessly to ensure that then candidate Muhammadu Buhari won the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and ultimately the 2015 presidential election.
Saraki explained that he did not participate in the 2014 presidential primary of the APC because of his decision to support Buhari when he indicated interest to run for president.
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Senate President’s spokesperson, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in response to a report said to have been published in Africa Confidential which claimed that the Senate President had contested against Buhari.
The report is purported to have also claimed that the Senate president has retained the services of a London-based communications consultant, Aequitas, to help him work on his public image.
But insisting that the claims contained in the publication are incorrect, Saraki recalled that he “publicly announced in a statement in Ilorin on October 12, 2014 that he would not contest against Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) who was then an aspirant because ‘some of us need to make sacrifice and be part of the solution rather than part of the problem of the party.”
The statement reads, “he then declared that he would support the candidacy of the retired General. Dr. Saraki was one of the people who worked tirelessly to ensure General Buhari won the APC ticket and the general election.
“Again, contrary to the claim in your article, Dr. Saraki does not retain the services of Aequitas. He formerly engaged Aequitas for strategic policy services while he was Governor of Kwara State and Chair of the Nigeria Governors Forum, and at the initial stage of his period as Senate President. He no longer retains the services of Aequitas effective from January 1, 2017.”
Saraki pointed out in the statement that his current interest was on how to reform the Nigerian Senate and “make it an institution whose impact and relevance is felt and appreciated by the generality of the people”.
The Senate President ended by pledging his “full support” for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
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