Former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope on Sunday said the some leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are assaulting democracy over their relentless attacks on Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
While calling on Saraki not to resign, he said the PDP Senators in the National Assembly will stand up for what is right and will not allow the Senate President to suffer humiliation in the hands of APC.
The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation is prosecuting Saraki for alleged false declaration of his assets at the Code of Conduct Bureau.
The former Kwara state governor had, last Tuesday, stepped into the dock at the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja, where he was arraigned for false assets declaration charges. He pleaded not guilty to all the 13 charges slammed on him by the CCB and his trial has been scheduled to hold on October 21, 22 and 23.
Speaking against the backdrop of calls for Saraki’s resignation, Babatope, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees said those plotting the downfall of Saraki will have themselves to blame at the end of the day.
“I don’t believe that Saraki should resign and those calling for his resignation are enemies of democracy. I don’t think that these APC people should assault democracy by all these senseless attack on Saraki just because he won the Senate presidency. Why are they doing that?”.
“ I strongly believe that it is they who will lose at the end, not Saraki. Even if Saraki is forced to resign by these trumped up charges against him, I believe that he will still enjoy the confidence and support of the people”.
“He won the election as a result of the silly action of the APC themselves. How can you have an important event in the Senate, the day the Senate president will be elected, and you went to hold a meeting, saying you are expecting President Buhari? And since that time, they have been giving Saraki hell. Those rooting for his removal hate progress, unity and development of Nigeria”.
“ So, Saraki should not resign. If they like let them go and kick him out but they will have themselves to blame at the end of the day. I believe the PDP senators will never allow Saraki to be humiliated by his party the APC” he said.
