At the end of the second legislative year of the 8th Senate President, Bukola Saraki spoke on how he emerged senate president, the crisis in the ruling party APC, ex-governor’s pension and salary, anti-corruption and constitutional review.
Your emergence as senate president somehow contributed to disobedience and weakening of APC’s leadership?
Go and look at the party records. The last meeting the party held with regard to the zoning of the national officers, senate president was zoned to north central.
It was after that the party started to do different things, shifting its position. The point I’m making is that that’s over two years.
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Two years now, is that the reason why the party cannot move ahead? My own point is that the executive of party just needs to wake up and start managing the party.
As President of the senate and number three citizen, you have a stake in the party and you can call some of them to order and influence some activities.
We are doing that. It’s because you have asked me the question, there is no day when I see the party chairman and tell him, Mr chairman we must put the party in focus.
And we want to do it in the right way it’s done. The rules of the party also gives you room by which you can call a meeting, but I think we have not got to that point yet, I think we should do it in a smooth manner.
But what I want to assure you is that the foundation is still strong. There were crisis all over the place, that’s a different matter.
What I’m saying is that it is because of the inactivity that is giving room for speculations. The moment we start to see activity, you would see overnight, things will change.
And that is why the party, hopefully will hold a mini convention, now we have done our congresses, they picked delegates on Saturday.
You will see that after you the mini convention. All those speculations will be put to rest.
Recently SERAP alleged that some of you are collecting pension and salary. Is it justified with the allegation?
Well I am not collecting pension or salary as former governor of Kwara State. When it started some of us did not see that part of the law, but the moment I saw that, I wrote to my state and said they should stop my pension.
So I speak for myself on that part, I am not doing that and I leave everybody to their own decision.
I think the pension law was made assuming that when you leave office you were going to retire to the farm. I didn’t think they were expecting you to still remain in government.
So I think morally, if you have got another job, you should give up the pension until when you are truly a pensioner.
I think most of those who get the pension it is not as if they really need it, it is just an oversight.
Maybe the states should go and amend their laws to say that if you have an appointment then you are not entitled to pension as a former governor.
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