The senate has made it clear to Nigerians that there is no plan to push up the price of fuel as contrary to the belief of many in recent times. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki made this known in a media briefing with THISDAY, expressing surprise over the origin of such make up and how the thought generated to become a public concern.
He described the report as false and wicked, reassuring the people that the Senate chamber will not cease to identify with the people always. “I am surprised therefore that anybody would take such a report and turned it on its head,” Bukola said. He challenged further the architects of such report, referring to it has lazy journalism.
“Do I call that lazy journalism or what? The report is so false and wicked that you can’t but see the sinister intention in it.”
He highlighted however that the country is on a capital project to get her major roads functioning in full capacity so as to serve the people better but that this has nothing to do with having to get the masses pay for the realisation. He made it clear in strong words that the project is absolutely masses-pay-free as no charges whatsoever will be passed to them to foot.
“The charge to maintain road is in no way a concern to the public because it would not be passed down to them,” the senate president was reported to have said.
Following the clarification, Bukola Saraki urged the people to have faith in the senators. He expresses displeasure as to how the masses are usually quick to believe any propaganda, especially when they are against their elected representatives.
“But because anything that is anti-senate sells quickly, nobody bothered to find out the true picture and the negative report sold like wildfire, when indeed, it was the imagination of the writers and possibly their sponsors.”
He stated that “Whatever this Senate does,” after their usual sittings “even if it appears in the estimation of our critics as anti-people, is done first with the interest of the people factored critically into accounts.” And that, it should be known that the senate “set out ab initio to protect” the “people and their interest” and that this “has remained” the senate’s “guiding principle.”
“We will not depart from it. Now ask yourself,” Saraki further asked, “on what basis will an increase in the pump price of fuel be justified at this period, when you consider the state of the economy? Maybe those who sold the story and their sponsors would have an answer. We are not insensate representatives and if that is the impression that some out there want registered in the subconscious of the people about the senate, then, they will try harder.”
The senate president disassociated the senate chamber from anything that may paint her as being anti-masses, challenging anyone to come out open to contest their actions over time.
“Check out our records and genuinely analyse them, we have consistently been pro-masses of this great country and that is not going to change”, the leader of the senate declared.
