Blame Obasanjo, other past leaders for Nigeria's woes SARAKI
Wed Feb 03, 2016 01:02:pm Politics
6.9K By sosa hills
Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, yesterday threw a bombshell when he declared that all public office holders in Nigeria since 1999, were involved in one corrupt practice or the other, which had put the country in the present economic mess.
Saraki said rather than blame an individual, all past leaders of the country since the return of democracy in 1999 were culpable of the present economic problems of the country.
He said this while addressing journalists at the commissioning of a modern Senate Press Centre that the secrecy of the National Assembly's budgeting process and corruption allegations levelled against it by former President Olusegun Obasanjo would be addressed.
The Senate President also took up Obasanjo on the issues he raised in his recent letter to the National Assembly, where he claimed that the legislature had remained a safe haven for corruption.
But Saraki described the former President's comments as unfair. He said it was wrong for anybody to hold an individual or group of people solely responsible for the mess of the past.
He said, rather than trading blames on the political and economic woes facing the country, "what is needed from all stakeholders is collective participation for the good of all Nigerians."
Saraki pledged that the details of the N115 billion National Assembly 2016 Budget would be transparently put into the public domain as against the old practice.
His words: "We've all have been here since 1999 up to the recent past when things were not done right. We are all part of it. I was there, you were there, every other political office holder in different capacities were there as well.
"My own view from the 8th National Assembly is that the time for collective participation for the good of all Nigerians is here with us in line with the change mantra of the present administration. We are all on the same page for things to be done differently.
"I think what we need now from all stakeholders, is more of cooperation, encouragement and participation as opposed to trying to hold one person responsible for the mistakes of the past that we are all part of. It is clearly not the right thing needed now.
"I appeal to you and all Nigerians that we should work together just as I assure you all that we will do well here in NASS to practically complement the change agenda," Saraki stated.
He disclosed that the National Assembly would come up with an amendment bill on the procurement process to ensure strict and transparent implementation of the N6.08 trillion 2016 Budget.
"Before we put our signatories to it, we need to be sure if it's implementable," he added.
Saraki said rather than blame an individual, all past leaders of the country since the return of democracy in 1999 were culpable of the present economic problems of the country.
He said this while addressing journalists at the commissioning of a modern Senate Press Centre that the secrecy of the National Assembly's budgeting process and corruption allegations levelled against it by former President Olusegun Obasanjo would be addressed.
The Senate President also took up Obasanjo on the issues he raised in his recent letter to the National Assembly, where he claimed that the legislature had remained a safe haven for corruption.
But Saraki described the former President's comments as unfair. He said it was wrong for anybody to hold an individual or group of people solely responsible for the mess of the past.
He said, rather than trading blames on the political and economic woes facing the country, "what is needed from all stakeholders is collective participation for the good of all Nigerians."
Saraki pledged that the details of the N115 billion National Assembly 2016 Budget would be transparently put into the public domain as against the old practice.
His words: "We've all have been here since 1999 up to the recent past when things were not done right. We are all part of it. I was there, you were there, every other political office holder in different capacities were there as well.
"My own view from the 8th National Assembly is that the time for collective participation for the good of all Nigerians is here with us in line with the change mantra of the present administration. We are all on the same page for things to be done differently.
"I think what we need now from all stakeholders, is more of cooperation, encouragement and participation as opposed to trying to hold one person responsible for the mistakes of the past that we are all part of. It is clearly not the right thing needed now.
"I appeal to you and all Nigerians that we should work together just as I assure you all that we will do well here in NASS to practically complement the change agenda," Saraki stated.
He disclosed that the National Assembly would come up with an amendment bill on the procurement process to ensure strict and transparent implementation of the N6.08 trillion 2016 Budget.
"Before we put our signatories to it, we need to be sure if it's implementable," he added.
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