I Didn’t Sabotage Buhari, Senator Wakil Insists

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Senator representing Bauchi south, Malam Ali Wakili has debunked an insinuation that he and other senators from the state sabotaged President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing their ‘political foes’ of fabricating such allegation against them just to besmirch their reputation in the eyes of the public who hold the president in high esteem.

Speaking while presenting 10 cars yesterday to his campaign coordinators at his Bauchi residence, Wakili claimed that he supported two of Buhari’s ambassadorial nominees from the state namely; Baba Madugu and Yusuf Tuggar all of whom scaled through their screening, even as he however noted that the senate rejected Ali Sa’idu as national commissioner Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) “because he failed to present his secondary school certificate”.

Buttressing his points further, the senator said Buhari recently hailed the Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Speaker House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara where he described the duo as influential politicians ‘which means he has regard for the national assembly members’.

“It would interest you to know that before I chose Saraki as senate president, I inquired whether Buhari had a preferred candidate but I was told that he didn’t. That is why I chose him to lead us. The truth is that our political foes know that if they tell people that we don’t like Buhari, they will hate us because they love him and believe in his integrity.

“That is the only weapon they use to portray us in bad light. But I challenge them to come and tell you if the president has ever told anyone that Ali Wakili sabotaged him”, he challenged.

Also speaking, the former Bauchi state commissioner of planning, Alhaji Shehu Barau Ningi commended the senator for donating the cars to the party stalwarts, stressing that such gestures could help in retaining his supporters and constituents.

Ningi recalled that APC candidate Mr. Fayemi lost governorship election in Ekiti state to the incumbent Governor Fayose “not due to the former’s poor performance, but because the latter provided stomach infrastructure to the electorate.”

He therefore advised other elected politicians in the state to emulate the law maker in identifying with their supporters and rewarding party members who contributed immensely towards its victory so that they could sustain their popularity a head of future election.