Key loyalists and members of the inner circles of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in the Presidency are very bitter with Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki for allegedly sponsoring negative stories against the Presidency which tend to cast a slur on Buhari’s long standing and internationally acclaimed Integrity and high moral standing. President Buhari is known as a leader with great moral reputation and high-level integrity ranking in the society.
The New Diplomat investigations revealed that contrary to information reportedly leaked to a sector of the media to the effect that President Buhari lobbied the National Assembly recently on the passage of the 2016 A budget, the President was the one actually lobbied by the Senate leadership.
A Presidency source who is very miffed with reports of that the President lobbied the National Assembly confided in The New Diplomat that it was the Senate leadership that requested to meet with the President, stressing that the President merely granted them audience for a few minutes. He said: ‘’ It was indeed the leadership of The National Assembly that requested to meet with the President as a way of trying to warm its way into the very hearts of the President perhaps to help smoothen a soft landing of sort for the Senate in his on-going trial at the code of conduct Bureau over issues of non- declaration of assets and alleged cases of corruption’’
The presidency source added: ‘’The Presidency is very embarrassed by reports in the media that Mr President lobbied the National Assembly on the passage of 2016 Budget. That story is a big lie. We don’t know why the Senate President’s men will go to the extent of planting stories in the media to give such a false and negative impression about President Buhari? It is a big lie. Let me even ask you; the Senate is doing their duty, why would Mr President lobby them? What happened is this: some of them approached the executive through some very key officials in this government to say that they want to see Mr President for even just five minutes, to brief him on progress with the budget. Initially, Mr President was not quite disposed to meeting them or willing to see them, but after some persuasion, he agreed to see them. (both the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goji and his House of Representatives counterpart, Hon Jibrin Abdulmuminin). And he saw them very briefly and they briefed Mr President that they were working on the budget and that it will soon be passed. Thereafter, Mr President thanked them and the meeting ended. We are surprised to see screaming headlines that Mr President lobbied the National Assembly. I think it is wrong. That is not what is expected of the Senate. Who planted that sort of stories? We know it could only come from those members of the Senate leadership.’’
The New Diplomat investigations further revealed that this latest development has already angered Buhari’s key men who believe that the media reports were allegedly sponsored by Saraki camp as a way of hitting back at the Presidency ‘’ in a renewed battle of wits over Saraki’s on-going trial with the Code of Conduct Bureau in Abuja.’’
Saraki is currently facing trial for alleged non-declaration of assets as well as allegations bordering on corrupt enrichment during his tenure as governor of kwara state.
There have been reports recently in the media to the effect that President Buhari lobbied the National Assembly to speedily pass the 2016 Budget, a development which shocked many Nigerians. All efforts to reach the Senate President were unsuccessful as calls to his spokesman, Yusuph Olaniyonu were not returned as at the time of going press.
