How I Spent N400m Per State To Campaign For Buhari In 2015 – Saraki

Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki has said the people of Kwara would not have been suffering today if they had been given enough federal appointments after he allegedly spent N400 million per state to campaign for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

Saraki said had Kwara people been given appointments, they would have been able to approve money for party supporters which would have eased their sufferings.

The Senate President was heard saying this in an audio clip while addressing Peoples Democratic Party members recently.

The audio was first posted by blogger, Kayode Ogundamisi, on his verified Twitter handle.

Saraki said during the run-up to the 2015 general elections, he campaigned for President Muhammadu Buhari in every state of the country except the six South-West states.

He said he spent between N200m and N400m per state with the hope that when the All Progressives Congress got into office, party faithful would be rewarded either financially or through appointments.

The Senate President, however, said Buhari decided to punish the people of the state by starving them of appointments.

Saraki 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?”

–Punch