Popular human and democratic rights
activist-turned politician, Comrade Shehu
Sani, represents Kaduna Central
Senatorial District at the National
Assembly, on the platform of the All
Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking at an interactive session with
members of the Correspondents’ Chapel
of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in
Kaduna, Sani notes that if the intra-
party crisis currently rocking the APC
persists, it will impact negatively on
programmes of the President Muhammadu
Buhari administration, among other
issues.
On salaries and allowances for
lawmakers
I understand the outcry over our
allowances, wages and salaries. I identify
with all Nigerians on the belief or
suggestion that all holders of public
office should make sacrifices so that we
can restore the economy on a good
footing. We have been elected by the
people on the promise of change and we
will, by the grace of the Lord, live up to
their expectations.
We are very much conscious of the high
level of expectation on the side of our
people as far as their needs and
aspirations are concerned and we will do
everything possible to address these
expectations. I wish to use this
opportunity to identify the need for all in
positions of power to make sacrifices
towards reviving the economy.
So, I am fully in support of these
sacrifices that need to be made by
legislators at the National Assembly and
governors and state legislators. But I
should also make it very clear that
impoverishing the legislators or reducing
their wages will not, in any way, be the
magic wand that will restore the economy
on a sound footing.
The people must in all respects monitor
budgets and be vigilant and all Nigerians
must be an agent for the fight against
corruption and that is the only way we
can improve on the economy. Our
economy is in a very bad shape and it is
not possible for the people in power not
to set an example but cutting salaries is
not enough to address our challenges.
People should be vigilant over how
budgets are implemented.
That is the most important thing. There
is also the need for people to understand
that an impoverished Legislature will not
improve the economy as we have various
ways through which we can bring back
our economy in track. Number one is a
cut in salaries, conserve our foreign
reserves, and formulate new ways
government can generate revenue other
than depending on oil. Then checking oil
theft and oil bunkering in the Niger
Delta. All these things need to be put in
proper perspective
Senate leadership crisis and APC
blunder
Let me also use this opportunity to make
comments about our party with particular
reference to elected legislators at the
National Assembly. It is true that our
party is facing a serious post-election
crisis in terms of the challenge in uniting
all APC Senators. Mistakes were made
but naturally, all revolutions are always
faced with post-revolution crisis. We are
now facing our post-revolution crisis and
by the grace of the Lord we are going to
overcome it.
Those from the PDP who thought that the
divisions that exist within the ranks of
the APC Senators is an opportunity for
them to cash in and re-establish
themselves in power are making a very
big mistake.
Yes, we have problems within ourselves
but they are being addressed and I
commend the efforts of former President
Olusegun Obasanjo in trying to reconcile
both the Unity Forum led by Senator
Lawal and the Like Minds led by the
Senate President, Bukola Saraki. Such
reconciliation is needed for the party to
make progress.
The division within the Senators if not
properly addressed poses a serious
threat to the government of President
Muhammadu
Buhari and his capacity to deliver.
President Buhari needs the APC Senators
to be united and act with one voice for
the success of the Buhari administration.
The reality on the ground now is that
Senator Bukola Saraki is the President of
the Senate and the position of all
Senators should be the position of
President Muhammadu Buhari and the
APC.
Shehu-Sani
There were flaws in the election process
and unfortunately we had to share some
positions with the PDP in the Senate.
That was not supposed to be and I was
not part of it but we must move on.
When you are faced with challenges,
what you do is either to run away from
such challenges or you confront them.
We will walk through the landmines for
the realisation of the goals and
manifestoes of our party.
The reconciliation process
For now, reconciliation process is going
on between the Unity camp and the Like
Minds towards seeing how the camp of
Senator Lawal can be accommodated
within the new arrangement. But the first
step is accepting the fact that we got
ourselves in a corner and how we live in
that corner is what is of interest to all of
now.
So, the party has no intention of
impeaching any Senator of the PDP
holding any principal position. It is now
how we can live with the situation in
which we have found ourselves. There is
always a first time in everything. We
have never had this kind of situation but
it is going to be a test of our wisdom and
leadership and a test of our political skill
in terms of being able to wriggle out of
the turbulent situation we have found
ourselves.
We did not envisage that it was going to
happen but the divided house of the APC
gave room for the PDP to exploit the
situation. Even with Saraki as Senate
President it could have been worse. The
PDP had the power on the floor to pick
the position of the Deputy Senate
President because of the division within
the APC but there was also an
intervention by Saraki himself to ensure
that we did not lose everything.
But to be candid with you, we are pained
by the situation because our people voted
for change and they wanted an APC
leadership but there was a problem of
lack of reconciliation within the APC
which opened a crack for the PDP to take
an advantage of the situation.
www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/nigerias-media-helped-to-bring-down-jonathan-sani/

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The media is the power house...rumors and truths...na dem get

J