The 8th Senate and Saraki’s body language

Though, there were insinuations and attempts of blackmail to suggest that corruption will thrive at the Senate under Saraki’s Senate Presidency.The first of this negative blackmail was made when a newspaper alleged that Saraki’s Senate Presidency was sponsored by corrupt oil baron. It was again repeated by the former Interim National Chairman of All Progressives […]

Though, there were insinuations and attempts of blackmail to suggest that corruption will thrive at the Senate under Saraki’s Senate Presidency.
The first of this negative blackmail was made when a newspaper alleged that Saraki’s Senate Presidency was sponsored by corrupt oil baron. It was again repeated by the former Interim National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande.
The news report went further to give a negative and dirty impression that the emergence of the President of the 8th Senate is aimed  to sabotage the anti corruption posture of President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government as well as sabotage the ‘Change agenda’ of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
One of such desperate attempts to justify this blackmail and others was the story published in newspapers of Monday June 29 2015 as contained in a statement issued by the former Interim National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande.
A man is judged by his antecedents and actions. In the 7th Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki was Chairman of the Senate Adhoc Committee  that exposed the fraud and mismanagement in the oil sector. Until Saraki’s motion on the floor of the senate , no one was in the picture of the rot in the sector or took any action.  Therefore, surely, Senator Saraki will be the last person the oil baron will want to see as Senate President.
In that position, Saraki did not only lead his colleagues in exposing the rot in the scheme but made very strong recommendations on how the  system could be reformed  and made corrupt- free.
It is on records that through his motion on the floor of the Senate, the House of Representatives followed in what is to be known as Oil subsidy probe and to which Ministers of Finance and Petroleum summoned and at last over,N500 billion was saved.
Certainly, Senator Saraki is the last person to be so sponsored by the oil barons or cabals.
It was also on record, that during the Senate hearing on the missing $20 Billion, for those who attended the public hearing, Senator Saraki led the onslaught of difficult questions to both the Minister of Finance, Minister of Petroleum and other federal agencies despite being in the ruling party then. To this effect, Senator Saraki refused to sign the final copy of the committee’s report but rather put forward a minority report with a press statement that follow suit.
Saraki went further to oppose the inclusion of kerosene subsidy in the 2015 budget as well as his opposition to Petroleum Swop deal by NNPC. 
Let it be known therefore that the Senate Presidency of Dr. Bukola Saraki would not in any way be a stumbling block against President Buhari’s posture against anti corruption.
Rather, the 8th Senate under him as the President would give all necessary legislative support to the administration to fight and reduce corruption as his previous actions and bold step taken against the so called oil barons indicates that Saraki is committed to anti corruption.
For avoidance of doubt, let it be made abundantly clear that it is totally false, untrue and calculated mischief to suggest that Senator Saraki’s emergence as Senate President was facilitated by oil barons. This is a case of calling the dog a bad name so as to hang it.
This is another blatant lies that can not fly. In any case, Senator Saraki was elected unoppose as the Senate President, therefore the lies that he was sponsored by the oil barons cannot hold.
Senator Bukola Saraki is determined and focused to achieve the Senate targeted legislative agenda and he is committed to support President Buhari to deliver on his promises to the people of Nigeria.
Giving strength to his body lanuague that the 8th under him would not be a safe heaven for corruption, as some want Nigerians to believe, the Senate President, Saraki, has further declared that there is no more hiding place for corrupt elements in the country.
Saraki spoke again when the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Ekpo Nta, led other board members of the commission to brief the Senate President and other senators on the activities of the anti-graft body.
Reiterating his anti corruption stancen he said that the Eight Senate which he is leading is totally committed to the zero tolerance for corruption position of the Buhari administration and that he and his colleagues would do everything to make the job of the anti-graft agencies easy and successful.
Saraki who linked corrupt practices to the problems confronting the country were a direct fall-out of the monumental corruption in the system.
He noted that even though the Senate was officially on recess, there are certain issues that cannot wait, especially issues concerning getting appropriate briefing on the fight against corruption and what needs to be done to intensify the war.
He explained that corruption in the land has almost reached a crisis point hence the need for better collaboration by all national institutions to reduce it to the barest minimum, if not totally eradicate it.
According to the Senate President, “It is important for us to meet with you, to let you appreciate where we stand  on the issue of corruption and to also listen to you for us to know some of the issues that are challenging to you because the ICPC, EFCC and Code of Conduct Bureau remain the most vital institutions in the fight that we are waging against corruption today.
According to him, when a government gets to a stage that it cannot meet its obligations, “then we know we are getting into a crisis and that crisis also requires drastic actions. If we are pussy footing before, it is now time for us to be serious.”
He said that the Senate would not tolerate sacred cows in the fight against corruption.
What else can one say of a principal officer that has made it clear that corruption that have no place in the Eighth Senate under him. 
Chuks Okocha is the Special Assistant to the Senate President on Print Media.