The query issued to Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is an after thought, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Sen. Rafiu Ibrahim has said.
In a statement, Ibrahim noted that the APC leadership forgot too soon the announcement Saraki made on Tuesday to the entire world about his defection from the APC to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The Kwara South lawmaker, who absolved Saraki of doing wrong by defecting, noted that the Senate president does not need to answer a query that has become redundant and overtaken by events.
He said, “However, it is pertinent to state that the issues raised in the query were in conflict with and complete violation of our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of association. All Senators who have defected from APC did so on their own free will. As matured men and women, we took the decision to leave the APC by ourselves. We did so because we felt that the party no longer represents the ideals that we once fought for.
“The Senators are political leaders in their own rights and they represent their different senatorial districts. So, it is preposterous for the APC leadership to write that Saraki should be held responsible for the decision of my colleagues concerning their political careers.
“Is it Saraki that caused the antagonism between Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi and Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai which led the Senator to defect? Is it Saraki that caused the problem between Kogi Governor and Sen. Dino Melaye when the party appeared helpless in calling the governor to order as he moves to annihilate the Senator who contributed so much to his election?
Is it Saraki that compelled a man of Sen. Abdullahi Danbaba of Sokoto’s standing to defect? Is it Saraki who forced Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu from Oyo State to defect? Can Saraki be blamed for Sen. Abdulazeez Murtala Nyako’s defection after the Senator had complained about the lack of equity and inclusiveness in the APC in Adamawa State?
“One can give so many examples to demonstrate how the non-committal leadership of the APC looked on, without taking action to stop the sorry state of affairs that made the gale of defections inevitable.”
