The Chairman Senate Committee on Local
and Foreign Debt and senator representing Kaduna Central senatorial
district, Shehu Sani, wednesday said selfish political elite are behind
calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to contest 2019 elections so as to
safeguard their political privileges...
Speaking with THISDAY in Sokoto
wednesday, Sani maintained that those in position of authority are doing
so for their own personal gain because their political existence,
future and relevance depend on Buhari contesting in 2019.
He maintained that such selfish elite
see Buhari as an instrument to remain in power despite the fact that
they do not love him or share the same ideology.
“I must make this clear that the masses
calling for Buhari to contest are doing so out of genuine intention as
they see him as a messiah that will take Nigeria to the promise land.
But the political elite urging him to contest see him as an instrument
that will give them the lever to return to power.
“You can see the hypocrisy on the side
of the political elite within the ruling party when Buhari was on sick
bed in the United Kingdom. They were not sure that he will come back.
They were scheming, holding meetings, trying to choose a successor or
provide an alternative.
“And then when Buhari came back, they rushed to him organising mock prayers and protest for him. This is just to please him, something that was never organised when he was on sick bed.
“And then when Buhari came back, they rushed to him organising mock prayers and protest for him. This is just to please him, something that was never organised when he was on sick bed.
“Nasir el-Rufai is one of them. He cannot win election without mentioning the name of Buhari.
He solely depends on Buhari because that is the only way he feels he can win. He doesn’t like Buhari but want him just to win elections. They are opposites. Buhari is a leftist who doesn’t believe in policies of the World Bank and privatisation while el-Rufai is a core capitalist.
He solely depends on Buhari because that is the only way he feels he can win. He doesn’t like Buhari but want him just to win elections. They are opposites. Buhari is a leftist who doesn’t believe in policies of the World Bank and privatisation while el-Rufai is a core capitalist.
“I have been supporting Buhari when
el-Rufai saw him as an unelectable old man and a dictator who should not
be trusted with power. He is a toxic to Buhari,” he said.
According to him, Buhari should call his
campaigners to order because if care is not taken, public resources
would now be diverted for his campaign and governance at states and
federal level would come to a halt.
The Senator stressed the need for the
president to ignore those charlatans by focusing on delivering the
promises made to Nigerians.
The lawmaker berated el-Rufai for
dissipating energy on fighting perceived enemies rather than working to
improve the welfare of the people.
He lamented that the governor had
embarked on policies that were inimical to the well being of the people
by ejecting civil servants out of their homes.
He noted with dismay that the Kaduna
State governor had rebuffed all moves by the national leadership of the
APC to reconcile aggrieved members of the party in the state.
“This is a man who is fighting many
people. He is fighting religious leaders, labour unions, traditional
leaders, people of Southern Kaduna and demolishing people’s houses.
“It is true that the party made efforts
to reconcile us and bring peace to the state. But he sees himself as
stronger than the party. Katsina State Governor, Bello Masari, was
mandated by the party to reconcile us but el-Rufai never respected him
or the APC national chairman.
“All the aggrieved party members
respected Masari and attended the meeting except el-Rufai. He is not a
progressive politician at all,” he said.
Sani stressed the need for structural
political changes in the country that are necessary to reduce cost of
servicing political office holders, adding that every state must have a
source of generating revenue to address its own issues, policies and
programmes.
“We cannot continue to run a system that
benefits few people while the masses are in poverty. The fundamental
issue is not simply all about North and South, it is also about the few
elite and the oppressed masses who have not benefited from the Nigerian
enterprise but victims of one policy or another.
“So, the solution to Nigeria’s problems hinges on implementing those reforms or face revolt from the masses,” Sani added.
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