By Mumini AbdulKareem
A member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje has said he stood by the statement made at the Ilorin Emirate Descendant Progressive Union (IEDPU) Day celebration on Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed at the Emir’s palace in Ilorin December.
The comment had gone viral on the social media purportedly alleging rift between the Senate President and Governor Ahmed.
Speaking with newsmen in Ilorin over the matter, the APC chieftain blamed mischief makers for trying to cause confusion over the matter and vowed they will not succeed.
According to him, a responsible leader takes responsibility for whatever is happening in his domain, adding that such is the hallmark of great, focused and purposeful leadership.
Baraje said: “I’m so happy that my speech went viral on the social media. Though the speech was delivered in Yoruba language, it was because we wanted the message to get to our people.
“What we said there was straight forward. In Nigeria today, hardly can you find anybody in whatever stratum that is not complaining of the economic hardship.
“So the first message I delivered was to plead with the entire people of the state and Nigerians as a whole on behalf of the Senate President that economic hardship is not only peculiar to Kwara State alone but a national issue which we shall overcome very soon.
“And that Senator Saraki has promised that youth unemployment, which he made as part of his campaign promises would soon become a thing of the past.
“Indeed, he has started combating that, but he is yet to be satisfied. This is because of the economic hardship in the country and particularly his own handicap.
“We went further to say that he has covenant with the people and that they should always consider his covenant with them. That is why the mischief-makers went to the social media reading meanings to what we have said.
“But I am happy that the governor we have today is reasonable, experienced, knowledgeable and can read in-between the lines and I am sure the mischief-makers will not succeed where they are trying to cause confusion”, he submitted.
He said he remained part and parcel of the present government he helped to put together and cannot be part of anything to pull it down.
He urged Nigerians to persevere with the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, saying the President was working hard to ensure their economic wellbeing.
Baraje said Buhari’s constitution of 209 boards of federal parastatals was the beginning of good things that Nigerians will witness in the New Year.
