The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has mocked Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for losing his seat in last Saturday’s National Assembly election in Kwara State.
He has also revealed that there was apprehension during the February 23 election because there was no certainty of who was going to emerge.
Speaking to State House correspondents after visiting President Muhammadu Buhari in his residence on Wednesday, without mentioning Saraki by name, he said: “People who came to the senate with less than a 100,000 votes, and began to hold the country to ransome, their own people have recalled them home.
“While we were saying that we will impeach them, their people said they would rather bury them.
“Politically, now, they are out. It shows the power of democracy, it’s a leveler, an equalizer, you cannot be bigger than the people.
“Our people say that a politician is likened to an Okra tree, it should never grow taller than the person who planted it.
“And those who plant the political okra tree are the Nigerian people. I think, a couple of lessons have been learnt, this game is for those who are humble, those who believe in the people. There are no dynasties, the people are the sovereign. When they borrow you the power, remember, it is only lent to you, and it will expire, and it will require renewal. If you don’t behave, thy will remove you.”
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Expressing joy that Nigerians renewed the mandate of President Buhari, he stated: “If you look at the numbers, you will see that the President has more votes. This time, the difference between the President and the runner up, is that he has more votes than before.
“So, regardless of those fake talk, fake news in the social media, some of those sponsored fake pastors who were trying to put religion as an issue to divide Nigerians against one another, they have all been put to shame.”
The former Edo state governor observed that the 2019 election was very keen as no one was sure who would win, noting that President Buhari needed to be magnanimous in victory, saying, “that even in victory, he sowed humility and hand of fellowship to those who share commitment to he future of Nigeria and contested against him. But in every race, there would always be a winner.”
He added: “For those analysts who have been active since 1999 in his fourth republic, this is the most keenly contested election and my joy is that first, in the electioneering season, given all issues about security in Nigeria, there is no incident of terrorists attack except one or so in maybe Yobe or somewhere. That for me, to God be the glory.”
“The second is people who had predicted that Nigerians are going to fight, are going to war and that we are preparing for a Second World War. I am sure again, they have been put to shame.
“I know that Nigerians believe in their country, we appreciate our friends but we also know that those friends will never accept us as citizens of their country. The only country we cannot be deported, the only country we don’t need visa to stay, no matter who you are, no matter what you do, is Nigeria.
“It is the only home we can truly call our own. Even for those who have multiple passports of various nationality, because their real country is Nigeria. I think for me on behalf of my party, we congratulate the people of Nigeria for the enthusiasm they showed in spite of postponement that appears to have even reinvigorated and renewed their determination to come and vote, and they voted very peacefully.
“In those isolated cases where people were killed, that is extremely painful and hurtful. As the President said, our hearts go to them. But unfortunately, if you look at the pattern, it is that part of the country where violence seems to have been the name of the game, which is why the President had to be hard when he said if you unleash problem to Nigerians, the security forces should deal with you firmly.”
He said the world, local and foreign observers agreed that the election was a free and fair election.
“Let me also say that a free and fair election is not the same thing with a perfect election. What I can say is that there is visible improvement over the past election,” he stated.
“But let also say to be honest that as much as we want to be magnanimous in victory, there are couple of things that have happened, that show that the Nigerian people know who to reward those who are extremely arrogant,” the party boss added.