Saraki sends dangerous signal to Tinubu The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has on Tuesday, March 29, subtly registered his displeasure by declining to attend the ‘8th Bola Tinubu Colloquium’ held in Abuja, to mark the 64th birthday of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, commonly referred to as the ‘Jagaban’. The Colloquium, which had in attendance, President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Chairman of the event was tagged “Agriculture: Action, Work, Revolution” and is part of the activities lined up for Tinubu’s birthday celebration. The Colloquium which attracted political heavy weights had in attendance, Vice-President, Yemi Osibanjo, the APC National Chairman, John Oyegun, Information and Cultural Minister, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, among others. A cross section of lawmakers, party faithfuls and loyalists were present to cheer up Tinubu, during the occasion. The absence of the Senate President at the occasion has raised questions among political analysts. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Saraki’s failure to grace the occasion was in protest of his unfair trial before the Justice Umar Dalandi-led Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, over allegation bordering on false assets declaration and corruption. In a show of disloyalty and protest against Tinubu, the Senate President staged a high powered meeting, while the Colloquium was going on, with a delegation of Parliamentarians from the Republic of Colombia, led by Senator Edinson Delgado at the National Assembly, Abuja. Saraki had on June 9, 2015 fallen a victim of the opposition by throwing his hat in the ring for the Senate Presidency and by that singular action; he unwittingly earned Tinubu’s vengeance. Tinubu, has lashed out against Saraki several times, accusing him of crass disloyalty and vowing never to accept him as the senate president. Saraki while being put in the dock at his first appearance at the Tribunal had disclosed that the reason why he was being tried, was because he is Senate President. Apart from the senate president’s failure to attend the Colloquium, he has declined to send congratulatory message to Tinubu at 64. One of the earliest to congratulate Tinubu was President Muhammadu Buhari, who splashed superlatives on Tinubu, calling him “a visionary”, “dogged”, “diligent” and “forthright”. The president’s message came 24 hours after Tinubu criticized the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, over a statement which the APC leader had deemed insensitive towards Nigerians. However, the two most surprising messages so far to Tinubu have come from two leaders who ordinarily would not be considered as good friends or partners with the APC leader. Related:Tinubu’s goes against Buhari, APC First, was the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara. It is not a secret that the Bauchi lawmaker was not the preferred choice of Tinubu or the APC leadership for speaker. Dogara defeated Lagos lawmaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was tipped to emerge as speaker. His ascent to the speakership alongside Saraki who became senate president, was not well received by Tinubu. “Your feats are bold and exceptional; from business to governance and politics. As a governor, you made sweeping reforms that till date, your successors are still building on and making Lagos State proud,” Dogara said in a congratulatory message to Tinubu. The other surprising birthday message to Tinubu came from the Ekiti state Governor, Ayo Fayose, the most vocal critic of the APC government. The Ekiti governor in a turn around of events for once, praised Tinubu in a statement signed by Idowu Adelusi, his spokesman. “Whether one likes it or not, Asiwaju Tinubu has become a political pillar and leader, not only in Yorubaland, but in Nigeria. He is a great politician who takes well-calculated political steps,” said Fayose.

Borno State has no governor… I read with amusement the statement credited to Gov Shettima of Borno State that it took 19 days before former President Jonathan called him to enquire about the Chibok girls kidnap. What manner of governor is he that will make a governor who has internal crisis and instead of being the one calling the president was expecting that the president should call him? If his kids were among those kidnapped, would he have waited for the presidency before swinging into action? Is he no longer the Chief Security Officer of the state again? That Jonathan is out of power does not give him the right to denigrate him. The kidnap of chibok girls is ENTIRELY the fault of Shettima who could not provide security for his people knowing that his state was and remains the hub of the dreaded sect. The governor should hide his face in shame that blaming an innocent man of his failure. He should bury his head in the sand for attempting to drag Jonathan into his incompetent government. Today the dumb as of a governor can rant because his kids are safe. Today the lazy governor can tell the world his gross laxity and claimed the presidency was responsible. Since Buhari came into power and Boko Haram has killed in Borno state, has he called him? Tomorrow if PMB leaves power, he will pass his failure to him. Shame…