*As Edo APC says Urhoghide’s motion, actions condemnable, irresponsible
*It’s way of PDP to reward good with bad – Lawyer
*’Senate allowing Urhoghide move the motion confirmation killings are artificial’
*No matter how tough, Buhari will lead us to safety but Saraki, Dogara won’t be forgiven by history – Nigerians
“Everybody has been concerned about the killings. We know the limitations of our security forces. Goodluck Jonathan was president when this request was made and it was turned down repeatedly. Now, for once, the American Government has accepted to release to us the equipment that we dearly need to deal with this situation, then a group of people, who claim to be representing people, particularly Urhoghide, who claims to be representing the people of Edo state, is against it. You know how many lives we have lost to supposed herdsmen. We have information that some of these killings are contrived.”
The Senator of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who moved a motion for impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhar on the floor of the Senate, Mr. Mattew Urhoghide, has been told to find whom to blame elsewhere over who was responsible for his recent attack by mob at the Benin Airport, in Edo State.
Urhoghide had blamed Governor Godwin Obaseki for the constituents who attacked him on his arrival at the airport telling, telling him that he was not sent to the Senate to join in any battle against President Muhammadu Buhari.
But the Chairman of Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Barr. Anslem Ojezua, saying Governor Obaseki was not behind his travail, took a swipe at the Senator, who is representing Edo South Senatorial District, even as he noted that Urhoghide’s impeachment motion and the furore that greeted his actions are not just condemnable but irresponsible.
According to him, “It is unfortunate that Urhoghide should suggest that Governor Obaseki was there when the incident happened. It was Obaseki who saved his neck because as at the time we arrived, Obaseki’s aircraft had not touched the ground. The governor met Urhoghide at the airport because the police were keeping him in the building from those who wanted his neck. It was when the governor came that he was able to come out. I think it was unfortunate and a show of ingratitude on his part for him to suggest that the governor was behind his travail. It is typical of PDP for you to do them good and they reward you with bad.”
Arguing that Urhoghide’s action is in bad faith and antithetical to efforts to curb ravaging insecurity in the country, he said, “A supposed distinguished senator of the Federal Republic went to the floor of the Senate and began to make reckless demands and requests about the presidency over an alleged expenditure that borders on security of our country. This was done in the light of all the killings that is going on. I think that statement was irresponsible. I think it was unfortunate that the Nigerian Senate should even allow such a thing to be discussed.
“Everybody has been concerned about the killings. We know the limitations of our security forces. Goodluck Jonathan was president when this request was made and it was turned down repeatedly. Now, for once, the American Government has accepted to release to us the equipment that we dearly need to deal with this situation, then a group of people, who claim to be representing people, particularly Urhoghide, who claims to be representing the people of Edo state, is against it. You know how many lives we have lost to supposed herdsmen. We have information that some of these killings are contrived.”
He continued, “Now, this equipment can assist us in resolving these issues and the Senate is asking for authority. When Obasanjo emptied this same account, where was the Nigerian Senate? How much did Goodluck Jonathan inherit and how much did he leave there? These same people could not say anything. Now, for once, somebody is coming up with something and they are asking questions. The unfortunate thing is that it is emanating from Edo State.
“I think it is reprehensible and should be condemned. I feel so bad that such a thing should happen, for him to arrive here and for them to say they want to do reception. To receive who? Somebody who has been in the Senate for how long? He comes here every week. So how come they have not been receiving him like this before. Because he made such a scandalous statement at the Senate, some stupid hoodlums went to the airport and you expect that Edo people will just accept it? It will not happen.
“It is not about APC; it is about the people of Edo state. I am chairman of APC; I was on that same flight with him I didn’t know there was anything going to happen at the airport. If I didn’t know, then I could not have known to provide a response. I think the Police needs to step in because the policy that the Federal Government came up with during Jonathan’s administration that they don’t want people to come to the airport as a crowd has not changed. It has not been reversed. How come nobody has been arrested?”
On the conduct of the recent ward congress in the state, Ojezua said, “The same way we conducted our primaries into offices in the local government, we adopted the consensus approach. It worked for us then, it worked for us again this time. It was very peaceful.”
Adding their voices to the argument, some concerned citizens who spoke to us said, “All indications, going by the attitude of PDP Senators being connived with by supposed APC Senate President towards President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against insecurity, corruption and economic issues in the country, have proved to us that the remnants of ousted PDP being strengthened by Bukola Saraki are envious of the President’s overwhelming achievements are doing all things possible to block him.
“Surprisingly, Saraki wearing the logo of APC is fully behind them. Who will blame them when they have all the vital positions of leadership in the Senate? This is a lesson to those lawyers, journalists and civil society activists who were jumping up while we went vehemently against emergence of a desperate opposition like PDP as Deputy Senate President in a Senate dominated by APC and even the supposed APC Senate President still went ahead to hand them all the vital positions of leadership in the Senate, same thing by APC’s Yakubu Dogara.
“Let me however make a strong point here: Whether Saraki and Dogara like it or not, President Buhari will lead Nigeria out of this mess they have caused pretending as if they do not realise the extent of the damages. But history will neither ever forgive nor forget them for their hypocrisies that they have displayed against us as a nation, as a people and as a progressive government for three years now. This is the first time since after the First Republic that we should have a sigh of relief that we have a government that is out own. But these lawmakers of self-centredness have never allowed us to fully enjoyed it. If they say I lie, let them tell us why have the not touched the two anti-corruption Bills sent to them by Buhari since December 2015?
“Why have they chosen impunity blocking and suspending, in contempt of the courts, members who expressed different opinions and yet they are the ones who accuse the Executive of dictatorship? What happened to the national budget that up till now they have failed to pass it? Recall they said last week that they would pass the 2018 budget this week Tuesday but today (Monday) Saraki went on air and said the budget will be passed next week. Let me talk like Professor Ishaq Akintola said in the statement of Muslim Rights Concerns, who gave this Senators? What manner of Senators are these?!”
