The Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) Enugu State chapter, on Sunday slammed the Nigerian Senate over what it descried as its attempt to cripple the country’s democratic process.
The group, therefore, warned that if Nigerians failed to shutdown the Senate, “the Senate as currently constituted will not only shut down the strident anti-graft war being waged by President Muhammadu Buhari, but also our fledgling democracy.”
The BSO’s declaration came as a reaction to the speech made by Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy Senate President at the opening ceremony of the 28th Enugu State International Trade Fair at the weekend.
In the speech, Ekweremadu, who represented the Senate at the event had lamented that: “Sadly, our SME’s potentials are grossly underutilized and underdeveloped. They are stifled by a wide range of challenges, such as access to finance, poor infrastructure, lack of access to market, multiple taxation, inconsistencies in government policies and official corruption, which have slowed down their very roles in our economic resuscitation.”
Reacting in a statement on Sunday, BSO through Mr. Eze Chibueze, its Publicity Secretary, described the statement made by Ekweremadu as contradictory to the position taken by the same Senate he represented at the Trade Fair, especially on the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu, the Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Chibueze further stated that: “We are, therefore, outraged that the same Senate in one breadth admitted that official corruption is the bane of our economic prosperity and indeed is the bane of our collective development, whilst on the other breadth is viciously waging unpatriotic offensive against President Buhari’s war against pervasive corruption in our land. Who kills his war commander?
“Otherwise, how come the Senate couldn’t trust the sound judgment of the C-in-C, who after perusing the Department of State Security (DSS)’s report refereed to him in December 2016, dismissed it and sent back Ibrahim Magu’s name for the second time for confirmation? To us, it is corruption fighting back.
“We are in league with majority of patriotic Nigerians and foreign friends of our dear country who believe that Ibrahim Magu is doing a fantastic job, which in the first place made Mr President to nominate him. Accordingly, we call on Mr President not to succumb to arrant blackmail and propaganda being mounted by looters.”
“It’s our considered view that Magu’s recent exposure of the Paris Fund scam, in which the Senate President and some governors were allegedly fingered, the petition against the Deputy Senate President on his table and sundry corruption charges against high number of senators which incensed the rogue senators. Hence Crucify Magu! Crucify Magu! Crucify Magu!
“Is it not the height of cruelty for any sane person to tamper with the Paris Club refund funds, which was recovered since 2005 and no president thought it wise to return the funds to the people since 2006, 20007, 2008 and up till 2017 when our dear President Muhammadu Buhari directed that the funds be returned to the States for salary and pension arrears?
“We are, therefore, appalled that the name of Senator Bukola Saraki and cohorts have featured again in their custom to circumvent the funds meant for masses”, Chibueze said. He added that “In the sordid cross-road where Nigerians are precariously placed on cliffhanger – the BSO had no valid option but to mobilise patriotic Nigerians for a two million march to the National Assembly to SHUT DOWN THE SENATE and drum support for the anti-corruption of war of Mr. President.
“To this end, we challenge our dear compatriots to wake up and accordingly call on compatriots to join us in this crusade. For when again shall we have an anti-graft president like Buhari?
“In sum, BSO members resolve to resist any attempt to truncate President Buhari’s anti-corruption war which bar has been raised and which has received commendation from international transparency agencies, the United States of America, United Kingdom and prominent Africans, including revered former Ghanaian President, Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings.”
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