{"id":19783,"date":"2018-07-24T20:12:52","date_gmt":"2018-07-24T20:12:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/?p=19783"},"modified":"2018-07-24T20:12:52","modified_gmt":"2018-07-24T20:12:52","slug":"buhari-reacts-to-defection-as-saraki-says-invitation-was-a-political-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/?p=19783","title":{"rendered":"BUHARI REACTS TO DEFECTION AS SARAKI SAYS INVITATION WAS A POLITICAL GAME"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><code><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- www.newsroom247.com.ng --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-2163942495525027\" data-ad-slot=\"1411897411\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/code><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Sheriff-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-19311\" src=\"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Sheriff-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"706\" height=\"201\" srcset=\"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Sheriff-1.jpg 1080w, http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Sheriff-1-300x86.jpg 300w, http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Sheriff-1-768x219.jpg 768w, http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Sheriff-1-1024x292.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 706px) 100vw, 706px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his total commitment to the values of democracy, freedom of choice as well as willingness to work with all members of the National Assembly, irrespective of their political party.<\/p>\n<p>In his reaction to the developments on Tuesday morning at the National Assembly where lawmakers from his party defected, the president noted that none of the defecting federal lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had any specific grievances against him or the government he leads; \u201dneither did he harbour anything against any of them\u201d. He also said their movement will not affect the APC\u2019s electoral chances.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs the saying goes, all politics is local. We understand that some of the distinguished and honourable lawmakers have issues with their home states, especially on zoning which bars some of them from seeking another term in their constituencies,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Noting that the APC had done its utmost to stop the defections, the President commended the leadership of the party for relentlessly working for its unity and ensuring success in the upcoming elections.<\/p>\n<p>President Buhari assured members of the APC of his total support and urged party faithful \u201dnot to despair but to see the defections as a seasonal occurrence that happens on election eve\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He expressed confidence that no harm or injury will be done to the party and its aspirations by the movements.<\/p>\n<p>President Buhari wished all the decamped members the best in their future undertakings.<\/p>\n<p><code><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alternativeadvert.com\/show.php?z=30&amp;pl=16698&amp;ad_type=62&amp;rl=180\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/code><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has stated that the invitation to him by the Police to report to a station in Guzape over the Offa robbery investigation is a mere afterthought which is designed to achieve political purpose.<\/p>\n<div dir=\"auto\">Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, stated that he has it on good authority that the Police had already decided on the suspects to arraign in court in Ilorin, Kwara State\u00a0<span class=\"aBn\" tabindex=\"0\" data-term=\"goog_1868424518\"><span class=\"aQJ\">on Wednesday<\/span><\/span>\u00a0based on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mohammed U.E. and that the turn around to invite him was a ploy aimed at scoring cheap political points.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">&#8221; I have been reliably informed that the police invitation was planned by IG as a ploy to stop an alleged plan by some Senators and House of Representatives members from defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC). It was also said that if I was detained between\u00a0<span class=\"aBn\" tabindex=\"0\" data-term=\"goog_1868424519\"><span class=\"aQJ\">Tuesday<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<span class=\"aBn\" tabindex=\"0\" data-term=\"goog_1868424520\"><span class=\"aQJ\">Wednesday<\/span><\/span>, that will abort the so-called defection plan.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">&#8220;While I continue to maintain that the issue of my position on the 2019 elections is not a personal decision for me alone to make, it should be noted that all these concoctions and evil plot cannot deter me. Those behind this fresh assault will fail as I have nothing to do with the robbery incident or any criminal matter for that matter.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">&#8220;I am aware that following a request made by the Police on June 13, 2018 to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Fedeeation had written a legal advice dated June 22, 2018, in which he stated on page 5, paragraph (f) that &#8220;For the Senate President and the Kwara State Governor, this office is unable to establish from the evidence in the interim report a nexus between the alleged office and the suspects&#8221;.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">&#8220;The Police have obviously corrupted and politicized their investigations into the Offa robbery incident. They have turned it into an instrument for the party in power to suppress perceived opponents, witchunt issue for blackmailing people from freely choosing which platform on which they want to pursue their ambition and a matter for harassing the people whose exit from APC would harm the chances of the party in the forthcoming elections.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">&#8221; I want to make it apparent that I have no hand in either the robbery incident or any criminal acitivity. The Police in their haste to embarrass me sent the invitation to me at\u00a0<span class=\"aBn\" tabindex=\"0\" data-term=\"goog_1868424521\"><span class=\"aQJ\">8pm<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and requested that I report to the station by\u00a0<span class=\"aBn\" tabindex=\"0\" data-term=\"goog_1868424522\"><span class=\"aQJ\">8am<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"aBn\" tabindex=\"0\" data-term=\"goog_1868424523\"><span class=\"aQJ\">tomorrow<\/span><\/span>\u00a0morning. This obviously demonstrated their desperation as I do not see why they are now in a hurry.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">&#8220;They also stated in today&#8217;s letter that because in my response of June 7, 2018 to their own letter written on June 4, 2018, I stated that I was responding simply to the contents of the letter and that the full text of the statement made by the arrested suspects which they claimed indicted me was not made available to me, they were now including the suspects statements in the current letter.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">Yet, instead of including the suspects&#8217; statements, they only attached two copies of my own letter to the invitation. No suspects statement was made available.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">&#8220;This plot aimed at compelling me and my associates to stay in a party where members are criminalised without just cause, where injustice is perpetrated at the highest level and where there is no respect for constitutionalism is an exercise in futility and it will fail.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">&#8220;Once again, my confidence in God and our judicial system remains intact and unshaken. The truth shall also prevail in this case&#8221;, he stated.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">Signed:<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">Yusuph Olaniyonu<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><a href=\"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/delta-is-working-new-200618-banner-ad-online-234-x-60px-f-4.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-19511\" src=\"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/delta-is-working-new-200618-banner-ad-online-234-x-60px-f-4.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"3033\" height=\"376\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- www.newsroom247.com.ng --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-2163942495525027\" data-ad-slot=\"1411897411\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his total commitment to the values of democracy, freedom of choice as well as willingness to work with all members of the National Assembly, irrespective of their political party. In his reaction to the developments on Tuesday morning at the National Assembly where lawmakers from his party defected, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":19567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[1684,154,4919],"class_list":["post-19783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","tag-abubakar-bukola-saraki","tag-muhammadu-buhari","tag-yusuph-olaniyonu"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/SARAKI-1.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4oswh-595","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19783"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19783\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19784,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19783\/revisions\/19784"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/19567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}