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Nigerian Senate Head Says He’s Considering Running for President

Published

8 years ago

August 15, 2018

Eric

Nigerian Senate President Bukola Saraki is considering running against President Muhammadu Buhari when Africa’s top oil producer holds elections in February.

“I am consulting and actively considering it,” Saraki, 56, said Tuesday in an interview at his residence in the capital, Abuja. “I believe I can make the change.”

After recently defecting from the ruling All Progressives Congress, Saraki said that if he decided to run, it would be under the banner of the People’s Democratic Party, the main opposition group. He would need to win the party’s ticket during primary elections in October.

At odds with Buhari ever since he emerged as the senate leader against the president’s wishes in 2015, Saraki is a former member of the PDP who despite joining the APC, often went against the party line.

His defection last month back to the PDP came amid a wave of such departures from the APC, including dozens of senators and at least two state governors. After security operatives surrounded Saraki’s home last month for undisclosed reasons, the secret police temporarily blocked access to the National Assembly on Aug. 7, in what Saraki said was an illegal attempt to impeach him. The head of the State Security Services was dismissed over the deployment.

Confidence Lost

“If a government can go and lock up an arm of government — and it’s never happened in our history — we should all be very concerned,” Saraki said. “We should not be surprised that they would use security agencies for elections.”

Investors and citizens have lost confidence in the president, according to Saraki, the nation’s third ranking official after Buhari and his deputy. Buhari’s election victory in 2015, which marked the first time an opposition party won power at the ballot box and put an end to 16 years of PDP rule, came after he pledged to fix the economy, improve security and fight corruption.

While Buhari’s administration has raised record amounts of money in oversubscribed Eurobond sales and increased revenue to boost investments in roads, rail, ports and power, poverty remains widespread in Nigeria and the nation is still dealing with deadly violence in several regions.

To win the PDP ticket at the party’s primaries on Oct. 5 and 6, Saraki would need to beat another presidential aspirant, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who also defected from the APC last year.

Saraki said Nigeria needs to be governed by a genuinely pro-business administration that will be able to tackle recurrent security issues. Below are some excerpts from the interview:

On investment:

“Most of the inflows that have come in are merely hot money, and that is because the oil price has gone up. Investment in the real sector is not seen. The private sector, in my view, has probably taken a position that the confidence is not there in the government. The country requires a government that is truly pro-business, and a president that sees himself as a chief marketing officer.”

On the involvement of security forces in political matters:

“There has been a persistent disregard for due process and a lack of neutrality for some of these issues. For you to have credible elections, you must have safe elections. Security agencies are actively getting involved in the politics.”
“The fundamentals of whatever we are going to develop is going to be based on sound democracy, credible elections, freedom of choice of Nigerians. If we don’t have that as a foundation, then everything else cannot happen.”

On gasoline subsidies:

“If we are going to have a subsidy, we should have a budget for it. Because once we have a budget for it, the private sector can also play a role in the importation of petroleum products. And if the private sector plays a role, definitely the cost of the subsidy will go down and there will be more efficiency in the delivery of products. But in the environment we are in today, where it’s only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. that’s doing that, it’s going to be inefficient, it’s not going to be transparent.”

On the PDP:

“The PDP has learnt its lesson from the loss in 2015, and I think unfortunately the APC did not learn from their victory.”
While negotiating with the PDP “we listed a number of issues. We talked about how to sustain and improve the fight against corruption; the issue of providing more powers to the states; inclusion and having a more nationalistic approach on things we do; to continue to improve the environment that will ensure investments. We listed a number of items during the discussions with the PDP, and there is a written agreement to that. We trust that we can hold them to that.”
“We would ensure that the party is strong on security. The APC too have not done well on the issue of security. We have the opportunity with the right kind of presidential candidate and president to provide the leadership for the party. The party has a good opportunity to lead the country in the right direction.”

Courtesy: Bloomberg

Featured

Certificate Forgery: Group Seeks Tinubu’s Disqualification from 2027 Election

Published

1 day ago

June 29, 2026

Eric

The Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy (CFRPA) has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Kano seeking the disqualification of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the 2027 presidential election over allegations of certificate forgery.

‎According to court documents seen by Daily Trust, the plaintiff alleged that Tinubu presented forged academic certificates from Chicago State University and a fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 2023 elections.

‎‎The suit, marked FHC/K/CS/312/2026, lists Tinubu, INEC, and Chicago State University as defendants.

‎The plaintiff contended that Tinubu never attended Government College Lagos as claimed, noting that the school was established in 1974, four years after Tinubu allegedly graduated.

The CSO further argued that Tinubu does not possess a valid secondary school certificate, which is the minimum constitutional requirement to contest for the presidency.

‎It claimed that INEC had failed to act on its petition dated June 19, 2026, demanding clarification on Tinubu’s eligibility.

‎‎In its statement of claims, the group referenced a 2023 U.S. court ruling in In Re: Application of Atiku Abubakar (No. 23 CV 05099), which compelled Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records.

‎The plaintiff insisted those records revealed false entries and inconsistencies, including a forged University of Cambridge General Certificate of Education.

‎The prayers asked by the plaintiff included declaration of forgery against Tinubu’s Chicago State University certificate, issuance of an order directing INEC to disqualify him from the 2027 presidential election, directing CSU to strike Tinubu’s name from its records and perpetual injunction restraining INEC from uploading Tinubu’s name as a candidate.

‎The plaintiff also submitted affidavits of non-multiplicity of action, witness statements, and letters to the NYSC and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, demanding disclaimers on the alleged fake NYSC certificate.

Featured

Lagos Island Red Cross Holds Annual Thanksgiving Service

Published

2 days ago

June 28, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The Lagos Island Division of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, has held its 2026 Annual Thanksgiving, to express gratitude for another year of provision of succor and comfort to as many that are in need.

The thanksgiving service, which was held at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, on the last Sunday of June, was led by the Division Coordinator, Chief (Olori) Aderonke Elegushi.

Speaking to The Boss on the activities of the Island Division of the Red Cross over the years, Olori Elegushi noted that it has been a thing of joy to be at the forefront of releasing the milk of human kindness to as many that needs it, and when they need it.

Coordinator, Lagos Island Division Nigerian Red Cross Society, Chief (Olori) Aderonke Elegushi (m), Vice Coordinator Abimbola Adeshile (2nd left), Secretary Ajibola Adu (2md right) and Saheed Ayinde Yusuf (1st right)

“This is what I love to do, and this is what the Red Cross is all about; lending helping hand and spreading love across borders, especially here in Lagos Island.

“In everything, we won’t forget our Maker, the Almighty God, through whose power we are able to do the little and much we can do. That explains why we here today to give thanks as it’s a tradition every year,” Olori Elegushi said.

Olori Elegushi also noted that as an not for profit organization, the Society seeks support well-meaning Nigerians and Lagosians to come to their aid so that the gospel of continuous lending of helping hand to the needy will continue unabated.

“We also seek the support of well-meaning individuals, organizations, and the Church in our efforts to expand our humanitarian activities. With adequate funding and partnerships, we can organize first aid and health awareness programmes for public school students, train more volunteers, equip communities with emergency preparedness skills, and carry out outreach programmes that will positively impact lives across our society,” she concluded.

Olori Elegushi, who will soon join the octogenarian club, was accompanied at the thanksgiving event, by Vice Coordinator Abimbola Adeshile, Secretary Ajibola Adu, Saheed Ayinde Yusuf, and a host of other members, dressed in their sparkling white uniform.

The Red Cross Society is an international organizational saddled with the responsibility of providing healthcare services among other humanitarian services to the people of the world. The Society is domiciled in every part of the world.

Featured

Insecurity: Adeboye, Oyedepo Urge More US Military Action in Nigeria

Published

2 days ago

June 28, 2026

Eric

The General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, have thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for recent military action against terrorism in Nigeria, urging Washington to do more to halt the unrelenting attacks.

Both clerics spoke at the “Faith Heroes Award Gala” in Washington D.C. on June 26, 2026, organised by Save Nigeria Group USA, SNGUSA, with the US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition.

The event honoured Trump, Congressmen Chris Smith and Riley Moore, and other advocates of religious freedom in Nigeria.

Addressing a packed audience of activists, policymakers and faith leaders at the Hilton Garden Inn, Capitol Hill, Adeboye said the scale of violence has moved beyond what any religious leader can handle alone.

“Terrorism is now at my doorstep,” he said. “If you want to help us, help us more.”

The RCCG leader, who had faced criticism for not speaking out earlier, said he chose “spiritual warfare” instead of public escalation. He noted that Trump’s December strikes on terrorist camps did not surprise him because the U.S. President had warned of consequences.