Saraki speaks: Why I was branded enemy by Buhari’s adminstration
Bukola Saraki, former president of Nigerian Senate, says that during his reins senators were considered “enemies of the state and obstructive to national progress” for daring to question the foreign loans taken under erstwhile president Muhammadu Buhari.
In a post on X, Saraki commended the courage of the incumbent senate to probe the controversial loans.
Referring to the loan debate undertaken by the current senate, Senator Saraki said: “Today’s inquiries were those that the 9th Senate should have pursued but evidently did not, resulting in the current repercussions for their inaction.”
He explained that the senate, on his watch, had insisted “on transparency and accountability.”
He said, “I remember when we were asking for details of the foreign loan requests brought by the Buhari administration and were portrayed as enemies of the state and obstructive to national progress.
“I must acknowledge the 10th Senate’s effort in even deliberating on these crucial issues.
“This moment stands as a powerful reminder that the legislative arm of government must effectively play its constitutional role at all times in the interest of the people they represent, despite the personal sacrifices that may need to be made. Only then will the public and the people truly benefit.
“I sincerely hope we learn from the mistakes of the past.”
TheCornet reports that Saraki, as president of senate, had an uneasy relationship with then Buhari-led administration.
Saraki had, in 2015, outfoxed his former party, the All Progressives Congress, to emerge as senate president.
The scenario heralded the no love lost between Saraki and the establishment, a situation that endured till the end of his tenure.
The Buhari-led administration had raked in huge debts for the country, owing to foreign loans.
Complaints became rife, but the government was quick to defend the loans as sustainable ones.
Buhari’s economic policies, including foreign loans taken during his era, is believed to have thrown an albatross around the neck of his successor, Bola Tinubu.
Between 2016 and 2023 when he left office, former president Buhari had accumulated ₦77trillion naira in local and foreign debts, increasing the country’s debts stock from the initial ₦42trillion.
Ironically, President Tinubu on the threshold of his administration promised to continue from the where his predecessor left off.
Not quite ten months into his journey, Tinubu’s declaration to tow Buhari’s path had proven a mere political statement.
The economic realities, sired by removal of petrol subsidy and unification of foreign exchange rates, have forced the administration to speak out.
The Tinubu-led administration has consistently said that it inherited a flawed economy, asking for more time to fix the problem.
The administration’s pleas come amid the harsh economic challenges facing Nigerians, especially unbearably rising cost of living and soaring inflation.
The wobbling foreign exchange rate system sees Nigeria’s undervalued currency, the Naira, sprinting laggerdly behind the Dollar. The naira currently exchanges for ₦1880 to the US Dollar.
The economic situation has stoked a public outrage and pockets of protests in different parts of the country.
By Fola Ademosu
