The Senator representing Kwara Central senatorial district in the National Assembly and former governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of blackmail, alleging that supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan have gone online to sponsor fake stories against him.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his media office, the former governor denied that he had been declared wanted for whatever reason as being insinuated by some false stories even as he stressed that corruption is the bane of the country’s development.
According to the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, the Jonathan administration welcomes and encourage corrupt practices.
The statement reads in part: “President Jonathan has been a shield for corrupt public officials under the platform of PDP, using every means to insinuate slanderous implications against leadership of opposition to paint a picture of both parties being corrupt
“In a bid to dent the image of the leadership of the opposition party, Jonathan’s henchmen has been sponsoring site engine optimisation of websites on the leadership of APC.
“There has been updates on several PDP blogs that reads ‘Police Declare Saraki Wanted Over $133.5 Million Bank Loan Fraud’. So surprised seeing a false story which Saraki was cleared by the Attorney General in 2012 updated in 2015 just to mislead unsuspecting Nigerians”.
The statement further stated: “Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki was a former Governor of Kwara State, a former presidential candidate, and a steadfast pillar of the strongest opposition party, APC. Bukola Saraki’s many sins to President Jonathan and his cohort emanated from the fuel subsidy scam he exposed on the floor of Senate in 2011 which has cost our dear country over N8 trillion not to talk of another N30 trillion that was recently exposed by Sulodo.
“Ever since Saraki exposed the fraud in the fuel subsidy scheme perpetuated by people within President Jonathan’s camp, he has been invited numerous times to assist the Nigerian Police with investigation relating to his personal accounts, company accounts then domiciliary account after which an investigation was carried out and a written report was sent by Special Fraud Unit of the Nigerian Police Force by the Attorney General of Federation stating that from the report submitted by SFU, Saraki was exonerated of any wrong doing.
“Collectively Nigerians should tackle corruption and this can only be achieved with all form of seriousness, Nigeria has experienced corruption at its peak under the watch of President Goodluck Jonathan, worst of it all is that this administration is ready to bring down whoever wants to be of help in really tackling corruption in Nigeria.
“Senator Saraki’s office will like to assure Nigerians that he has no case with SFU, EFCC or any other agencies that GEJ has been using to oppress opposition. He has not been declared wanted and he will continue to campaign to enlighten Nigerians on the urgent need to change this unserious government”.