The
audio, which had Saraki speaking in Yoruba, was published by Kayode Ogundamisi,
a pro-Buhari public commentator and media contributor, via his Twitter handle.
It was said to be in a recent meeting between Saraki and his loyalists in Kwara
State.
The
audio has not been independently verified by Ripples Nigeria and Saraki is yet
to respond to the trending audio since it surfaced early on Saturday.
In
the recording, the Senate President was heard saying that during the run-up to
the 2015 general elections, he bankrolled President Buhari’s campaign in every
state of the country except the six South-West states.
He
said he spent between N200m, N300m and N400m per state with the hope that when
Buhari got into office, he would be able to recoup his investments.
But
Saraki said Buhari dashed his hopes.
He
said, “What is the benefit of people that are campaigning for the APC? What is
their track record? Use me as an example. When I left the PDP for the APC in
2014 and was campaigning for the APC like never before, we went to every state
to campaign with Buhari up until the election time.
“Out
of the 36 states, I paid election money in 30. Some collected N300m while some
collected N400m, some collected N200m. The only states, where I had nothing to
do with was in the South-West.
“Even
on the phone I was calling and giving banks instructions. Our thinking was that
when we get elected, we would get the majority of appointments. I even told
majority of you then that we shall all be going to Abuja together after the
election.
“I
thought some of you will be appointed to head federal agencies like road
maintenance, like FERMA, NITDA, NPA and others. Because I know that if any
Kwara son becomes even just the ED of UBEC, I know what he can approve from his
desk. Whether N1m or N2m.
“But
for the first time, since we joined politics, you have a President of the
Senate or even speaker that cannot appoint a cleaner. I am not referring to
board appointments like board appointment which just collect money per sitting.
If you look at the agencies they appoint executive positions, what do you want
me to say?”
The
full translation of the audio by Ogundamisi is as follows:
“All
that you have complained about tonight is on point, I can not find anything you
have said that is not on point, you complained about empowerment.
“Let
us agree that the last 3 and a half years, things have not been easy at all, I
agree and accept things have not been easy at all, particularly in the area of
empowerment.
“Before
2015 I have always tried to empower the youth and get you involved in
appointments, but this time around as a result of what I call human factor,
things have not been the same, I believe it is the will of God.
“When
you all are complaining and you give example of Gegele and co and you compare
it to what is happening now, I am sure you are asking yourself, what is
happening? how come all of you struggling with me are not rewarded, it is
unacceptable.
“What
is the point of putting everything into the emergence of a government and we
could not benefit anything from the government, you are asking yourself, what
have you benefited.
“If
you have not benefited personally in the last 3 and a half years, how do you go
to market us, won’t people ask you what you have benefited for yourself?
“It
got to a stage that people will be making fond of you and asking you what you
have benefited, but what is happening from Abuja, use me as an example, in 2015
I carried @OfficialAPCNg on my head around Nigeria.
“Hardly
any state in Nigeria that I did not campaign for @MBuhari, up to the time of
the election in 2015, out of 36 states I paid for the election of 30 states”
@bukolasaraki
“Out
of 36 states in Nigeria I funded @MBuhari campaign in 30 States, some states I
paid 200 Million Naira, some 300 Million, some 400 Million, the only states I
did not fund are South West States” @bukolasaraki
“Many
times I will be calling my Banks to send money to fund elections across Nigeria
for @MBuhari my thinking was that when we get elected, the next thing is that
we will get majority of our people appointments.
“In
fact I had already promised some of you here that you will either be MD of
Federal agencies, either road maintenance, NIPDA (inaudible) even Nigerian
Ports Authority, SUBEB and so on and so forth.
“I
know if I put someone amongst you from Kwara even in the smallest Federal
agencies, the contract you will sign out, 1 Million, 2 Million, but for the
first time that I have been in politics even speaker can’t appoint a cleaner.
“I
as President of @NGRSenate I could not even appoint a cleaner not to talk of
Board appointment, if you look at Executive positions I have nothing even after
spending Billions for 3 and a half years, I am as angry as you are.
“I
am fighting @MBuhari because of you, if it because of me I won’t fight, it is
not easy to fight the federal government, the sufferings you are all going
through is because they did not fulfil our agenda.
“In
2018 I told you all I wont be going with @OfficialAPCNg but in the last one or
2 months that I left I have been doing a lot for you people, my politics is for
all of you, I am just here to empower you all, don’t mind the one who just
bought form for 33M.
“It
was not my plan not to appoint you, when when David Mark was
@NGRSenatePresident, every confirmation he made for the @NGRPresident came with
something, if they really love us now you will be empowered.
“In
the past we they have a cut for Senate President and Speaker but not anymore,
so we are no longer going with APC as soon as we joined PDP they called me
National Leader when I lost election @atiku came to me immediately.
“Now
we have seen the sign that if @atiku becomes @NGRPresident things will come to
us, he told me I am the only one that can run his campaign, I know it is not
easy for you all, but let me assure you things will be better.
“God
see my “aniyan” (Arabic word) now in PDP they have brought us closer, how many
people in Kwara did APC bring together in Kwara, now we will soon have power,
today in APC they want us to go to @AsiwajuTinubu in Lagos.
“If
I am the only one in PDP I will fight alone, my Father made Kwara and took
Kwara to the top 10 in Nigeria and I also took Kwara to between number 1 to 3
in Nigerian politics and they now want us to bow to Lagos.
“In
the coming election we will put Youth into power in Kwara, let us take
@Atunwa_1as he his, he will take care of you all, all those who contested
against him are loyal but Atunwa will….. Inaudible (applause).
“When
I was Governor I gave a lot of young people contract, they buy land etc and
then empower others, I want to return you to the days of when I was Governor
when you were all enjoying, @atiku will open things when we win election.
“You
know as a leader I see things that followers don’t see, when we followed
@MBuhari we felt after spending money, we saw that he failed to reward us, so
we said this Baba is not coming back, no money, no patronage all over Nigeria.
“Even
with all the problem we have with @MBuhari the little cut I get I always send
to Kwara but I can tell you that we had to design a method to make the little
we have, they did not involve us in sharing.
“The
only agenda APC have for Kwara is to fight @bukolasaraki , they favour Osun
State with empowerment, for the remaining time of @MBuhari we will still get
some things, we gave them list for FIRS for 3 years they did not employ our
list.
“Thank
you for listening to me”
Someone
declares, “@bukolasaraki gave us 3 Million Naira” (Applause).
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