It’s over for Saraki politically, says Oshiomhole

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole on Wednesday mocked Senate President, Bukola Saraki for losing his re-election bid.

He said though the ruling party had been planning to impeach the Senate President, it was better his constituents retired him politically from the Red Chamber.

He spoke with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja after congratulating President Muhammadu Buhari who was declared winner of last Saturday’s election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Oshiomhole also pointed out that there was apprehension before the February 23 presidential election over who was going to win the election.

He said President Buhari’s statement that the ruling party should be magnanimous with the victory was what was expected of a statesman.

According to him: “Even in victory, he sowed humility and hand of fellowship to those who share commitment to the future of Nigeria and contested against him. But in every race, there would always be a winner.”

Apparently referring to Saraki, who lost his bid to return to the Senate, Oshiomhole said: “People who came to the senate with less than a 100,000 votes and began to hold the country to ransom, 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 Okro tree. It should never grow taller than the person who planted it.

“And those who plant the political okro 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 lend to you, and it will expire, and it will require renewal. If you don’t behave, thy will remove you.”

On false prophesy about Nigeria, he said: “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 nationalities because their real country is Nigeria.”