Why Saraki must resign, by ex-Rep

A former House of Representatives member Joseph Ajatta has asked Senate President Bukola Saraki to resign as his position has become untenable.

Ajatta, who represented Oshodi-Isolo II from 2003 to 2011, argued that Saraki’s alleged treachery against his party was inimical to the current dispensation.

To him, the Senate President’s action, which he said was borne from inordinate ambition, was capable of diminishing the pervading atmosphere of change and progress Nigerians voted for.

Ajatta said Saraki endorsed the National Assembly Clerk’s decision to disenfranchise over 50 All Progressives Congress (APC) members and traded away the position of Deputy Senate President to his party’s detriment.

On the way out, he said: “There is hardly any other way than either the resignation of the Senate president, which is not an easy decision, or the Senate taking steps to remove him.

“Saraki should do the honourable thing by resigning and allowing a proper election to take place. If he wins, then the nation will accept and respect him.

“As a two-time governor, and now a two-time senator, he deserves respect. But when one’s antecedent continues to put a large question mark on his head, he should take steps to show himself above board.”

Ajatta said although Saraki’s supporters are pointing to the legality and constitutionality of his election, it remains morally illegitimate and a flagrant violation of the letter and spirit of transparency being championed by the new administration.

“The Senate president should know that the burden of occupying that exalted office in a dubious manner is too heavy. He might have won the seat through the most crooked means I have ever seen in global politics, but he cannot succeed in it because he is leading the elite and most senior citizens of Nigeria.

“He cannot compel anyone to respect him and to successfully navigate through the stormy waters of the Senate; you must earn the respect of the senators,” he added.

According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari cannot successfully tackle the country’s problems with Saraki as Senate president, as he needs the support of the other arms of government to succeed.

Ajatta also urged the lawmakers to emulate the President and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), who showed exemplary leadership by reducing their salaries by 50 per cent.

The APC chief condemned the attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to politicise the bailout of some states by the Federal Government.

“While the PDP was trying to deceive Nigerians that the intervention fund came from the looted Excess Crude Account (ECA), the fund was indeed sourced entirely from dividends and taxes paid to the Federation Account by the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas Company (NLNG) in June this year after the exit of the Jonathan’s administration, otherwise it would equally have disappeared,” he said.