A grand plot appears to be in the offing at the National Assembly to ensure that the current President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, replaces President Muhammadu Buhari in the forthcoming presidential race billed to hold in 2019. Saraki, a former Governor of Kwara State, is largely perceived as one of the most suitable candidates for the top job, given his age, educational background, wealth of experience in government as well as his influence and immense contributions to the stability of democracy in the country.
A number of his loyalists, particularly some of the exgovernors, ex-deputy governors and former ministers among them, are reportedly working on the permutation that Buhari who has been battling with poor health since he assumed office two years ago, might not be fit to continue with the rigours of the exalted office beyond the current term. It is presumed that if Buhari declined to seek re-election on account of ill health and the ruling party keeps its plan of reserving the ticket for the North, Saraki might just become a choice candidate.
There were speculations at the weekend that part of the strategy of the foot soldiers selected to execute the plot was to ensure that Saraki remained in the limelight in the build up towards the next polls. The league of loyalists, Saturday Telegraph learnt, cuts across party lines and has been working on different fronts to actualise their common mission. They ostensibly tested the ground last week in the Senate chambers when they presented a “power vacuum” scenario and alerted the nation of the possibility of a Saraki presidency.
However, some Senators who spoke to Saturday Telegraph in confidence, have denied knowledge of the alleged plot by some ex-governors and other members of the red chamber to pave way for Saraki to succeed President Buhari in 2019. The Senators, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that they had never attended any formal or informal meeting where such an issue was discussed. One of the respondents stated that the so called plot might be the figment of the imagination of those peddling it.
One of the lawmakers cautioned that politicians should refrain from desperate moves to achieve parochial interests at the detriment of the nation’s hard earned democracy. According to him, the politicians should guard jealously the corporate existence of Nigeria and place its oneness above every selfish agenda.
“I am surprised at the level most Nigerians have degenerated in this inglorious business of propaganda or rather blackmail. I can only tell you that those who peddle these dangerous rumours are enemies of Nigeria and they are bent on collapsing this democracy.
“However, no matter how they try, this democracy has come to stay; not even their desperation to tear this country apart can succeed because Nigeria and Nigerians are far greater than them,” one of the senators said. Another lawmaker at the apex legislative chamber, who also spoke off record, said it was people who derived pleasure in the bickering between the Executive and the National Assembly, that originated the rumour.
“This rumour must have come from those who benefit from the continuous fight between the executive arm and the legislature. However, all I can say is that I am not aware of any plot to push Saraki to replace Buhari in 2019 but Saraki is a Nigerian citizen and he has unhindered right to contest election to any office in Nigeria. “I have soft spot for journalism and journalists but I hate unconfirmed negative reports which you people use to heat up the polity. What I am saying in essence is that this imaginary plot by ex-governors and other lawmakers in the National Assembly to unseat Buhari and get in Saraki in 2019 must have originated from the media,” the senator said.
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Agricultural Services, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, said it was unthinkable for any lawmaker to be plotting to make one of them to succeed Buhari two years to the next polls. “We are running a constitutional democracy.
I don’t believe that there is such a plot by the National Assembly to embark on that kind of conspiracy. I am a ranking member and if there is such a plan I should know. But this is not possible. “The constitution is clear on issues of succession and even when an office becomes vacant, the constitution has clearly spelt out processes.
So, as far as I know, the National Assembly cannot do anything outside the constitution to foist a particular person or usurp an office. “Even if there is such a plan, I will not subscribe to it. As custodians of the laws of the land, we cannot be seen to be sitting the law on the head no matter our individual ambitions,” he said.
Commenting on the issue, the Special Assistant to Saraki on Print Media, Mr. Chuks Okocha, simply dismissed the said plot as a hoax. According to him, there could be no iota of truth in the said theory of parliamentarians scheming to plant one of their own in Aso Rock. “It is a bloody lie. As far as I know, there is no truth in it; there is nothing to the so called plot. It is pure mischief by those peddling it,” he said.
