The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, John Odigie-Oyegun has said that the party has no problems with the trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki in the Code of Conduct Tribunal and that the party would be ready to make the sacrifice of losing the exalted office in the interest of the ‘change’ agenda of the present government.
Speaking to the media in Abuja over the weekend, Chief Oyegun also admitted that the party was aware of the hardship Nigerians were going through under the APC-led government, but assured that President Muhammadu Buhari was on top of the situation and was really determined to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians.
Asked if the party would not bother if it lost the seat of President of the Senate following the removal of Bukola Saraki because of the party’s narrow majority, the APC national chairman said “Well, I don’t think we will lose that position. But sometimes, for change to take place, there is a price you have to pay. So, losing the position may be a sacrifice for change.”
He further said, “We don’t take anything for granted. As they are planning, we are also planning. The situation is under control. The whole situation is unfortunate, but it is real. What political situation in a legal matter? Are the judges politicians?
“The President is certainly not the type who will interfere in a judicial matter. I think we know him well. Everybody must know him. Things must be done normally. And that is part of the change mantra that we must play by the rules, so that we don’t truncate processes. “People don’t seem to internalise what change is.
“If the President says ‘court, free that man’, the same President can say ‘court, imprison that man’. Is that the Nigeria you want? No! Change means allowing the law to take the proper course. I can tell you the President won’t interfere. The President is straight, definite, straight and firm in all facets.”
On the hardship Nigerians are facing in the last one year, Chief Oyegun said, “It is very unfortunate. But Mr. President is determined. It is unfortunate that the problem is much worse than we expected; much worse in the sense that we have to develop process that will truly produce jobs; that will truly produce progress.
“We really want to avoid blaming the past because people no longer want that; they just want these conditions to change. But we still must face the reality.
“For instance, I don’t think there is one Nigerian that is not aware of heavy expenditure on electricity that did not result in improved supply. Sixteen years of mismanagement added to the collapse of oil caused the problem. But I assure you the President is very determined to bring the change. But you can’t blame Nigerians for the outcry.
“The wife of a man who was bringing N100 home before, but now brings N40 will fight. Every single member of the family will feel it. That’s the situation with Nigerians. But Nigerians must also be aware that those people who hold the country to stranglehold are fighting back. Corruption is fighting back very massively.
“Look at the issue of fuel scarcity. Even as a party, we had to call the minister of state for Petroleum Resources. We asked, ‘how do we explain all this?’ The revelations were frightening? Yes, frightening! But I was elated by the fact that in another few years, even before our first tenure ends, we could even become a net exporter of refined oil.
“So, the Buhari administration is not just planning that people don’t queue again; we are already planning for full availability of products. But beyond, we will ensure refineries go back to work. And other refineries from the private sector are coming. So, we appeal; our new orientation is that Nigeria changes to a producing economy from a consuming one.” (Sunday Mirror)