Saraki claimed the APC boss has no moral authority to remain in his position as bribery allegations trail his conduct of the party’s just-concluded primaries
Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Adams Oshiomhole has threatened to take legal action against Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki if he fails to provide evidence of inducement levelled against him.
In his reaction to Oshiomhole’s call that he resigns his position, after he defected to the opposition People’s Democratic Party, and that he has no moral ground to remain as senate president when his party is in the minority in the chamber, Saraki claimed that the APC boss also has no moral authority to remain in his position as bribery allegations trail his conduct of the party’s just-concluded primaries for elective positions in 2019.
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In his reaction, Oshiomhole, through his Chief Press Secretary, Simon Ebegbulem, said in a statement, yesterday, that ‘a usurper of and pretender to the position of senate president, has no moral ground to call for the resignation of the national chairman.
“The unwarranted attack on the character of Adams Oshiomhole, by the senate president, is a pathetic and irresponsible resort to petty politics.
“It is sad that Saraki, who just woke up from slumber occasioned by his crushing defeat at the Port Harcourt presidential primary election of his party, could degenerate to such a low level.
“It is equally sad, but not unexpected, that Saraki, who is politically drowning, would make such libelous comments against the national chairman of the APC. And, I challenge Saraki to mention one name of an aspirant who gave money to the National Chairman or we file legal action against him.
“Whereas, the basis on which he made those comments was tenuous and unjustifiable, it is on record that Saraki has been in the eye of investigations by the EFCC and the ICPC for sundry cases of corruption.
“That is the same man that has taken it upon himself to question Oshiomhole’s credibility.
“We challenge him to mention one person who has claimed that he gave money to Oshiomhole to influence him and the decision of the party’s National Working Committee in the just-concluded primary elections.
“We insist that Saraki, with his kind of prebendal politics, is nothing but a monumental disgrace to the nation’s democracy,” he said.
Regardless, Saraki has described Oshiomhole’s proposed legal action as empty boast.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said he is ready to meet Oshiomhole in court.
“Nigerians are waiting to see how the president will handle the serious allegations against his party chairman. We expect the president, with his anti-corruption campaign, to institute thorough and transparent investigation into the allegations against his party chairman.
“Failure of the president to get to the root of the matter will finally destroy his ability and that of the party to continue to talk of any anti-graft battle.
“The president should let the investigation be thorough, open and transparent. This is no time for any cover-up,” he stated.
Saraki maintained that until the outcome of a thorough investigation is known to Nigerians and the APC chairman is cleared of the allegations against him, Oshiomhole is not on a firm ground to talk about morality or fight against corruption.