Ibrahim says Saraki's trial is being motivated by Kwara state politicians

Ibrahim says Saraki's trial is being
motivated by Kwara  state politicians

– Senator Ibrahim says APC senators
support Senator Saraki
– He says most former governors who are
now facing senators are facing charges
– He says PDP cannot replace APC in the
Senate president position
Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim who is the
former governor of Yobe state has said that
Senator Bukola Saraki’s trial is politically
motivated and revealed that politicians from
Kwara state are behind it.
The Senate president is facing trial at the
Code of Conduct Tribunal and he hinted that
his trial was politically motivated by some
members of the All Progressives Congress
(APC).





Ibrahim who is also a member of the APC in
an interview with Daily Trust said because
Saraki served as governor for eight years, it
was almost impossible for him not to be
investigated.
Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim
Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim
“Well, the Saraki saga is an unfortunate thing.
The saga is a saga; it will still continue. The
court will definitely make its pronouncement.
Whatever the court decides, we will obey. The
worst that could happen is to go to the
Supreme Court where everything ends. But I
can assure you that 99 percent of senators are
behind Saraki for the simple reason that we
are all human beings, and we do make
mistakes.
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“When you are a governor for eight years,
there is no way you can account for every
kobo. So, if anybody wants to investigate you
thoroughly, he will find a fault here and there.
It may not necessarily be falsehood, or that
you intended in a way to harm the economy,
or intended to be a financial crime as being
speculated.
“It looks like a local political motivation from
Kwara. Definitely President Muhammadu
Buhari has no hand, and definitely the
federal government of Nigeria did not initiate
it. It was local politics in Ilorin. People made
complaints; they gave the details of what
they thought Saraki had and he didn’t
declare, that was how EFCC came in and
started investigating.”
On whether other senators are supporting
the embattled Senate president, the former
Yobe governor said they were fully behind
him.
“You know that there are so many other
former governors who are in the same shoes
with Saraki; whose trials have been initiated,
but they were not publicised like that of
Saraki, because he is the Senate president.
Almost every former governor in the Senate
with the exception of Bukar Abba Ibrahim has
one case or the other with the EFCC or CCT.
“It’s not easy to fight corruption especially
when it comes to individuals; that is why
those of us do believe that corruption can
best be dealt with through institutions. Let’s
strengthen our institutions, stop giving and
taking bribes. Institutional fight of corruption
is the best fight we can have as a nation. It
has begun, and it will continue for a very long
time.
“The negative aspect of corruption is that
people take the money outside the country;
they will go and spend it elsewhere so that we
will all miss the opportunity for development.
If they can steal and spend it within Nigeria,
Nigerians will benefit, but when they take it
out, we will lose as a nation. That is the most
terrible aspect of corruption. “


Ibrahim said the idea that if Saraki is
removed will usher in a PDP Senate
president was impossible.
“How? Why? The APC is still in the majority
whether Saraki is in or out. There is no way
PDP can take over Senate presidency with the
presence of over 60 senators from APC
against 50 PDP senators. There is just no way.
“It’s not as if we are against Ike Ekweremadu
in any way, he is a good legislator. I don’t
mind him continuing to be deputy Senate
president, because he is a very decent human
being. But there is no way the leadership will
be taken over by PDP.”
You may read the the full interview