Group Backs Gbemisola Saraki’s Nomination as Minister

Group Backs Gbemisola Saraki’s Nomination as Minister

By Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

A group, Kwara New Era Movement, under the banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State Sunday threw its weight behind the nomination of Senator Gbemisola Saraki as a minister in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The group, however, took a swipe at those kicking against the former lawmaker, alleging that they were acting the script of some elements, who were determined to create disaffection in the ruling party.

Speaking at a news conference at the secretariat of the group along Alore, Ilorin on Sunday , its President, Tajudeen Abojumeji, and a stakeholder of the APC, Mr. Yusuf Obalowu, stated that they had followed the negative criticism that trailed the nomination of Gbemisola Saraki, which they described as unnecessary.

President Buhari had last week transmitted 43 names to the Senate for consideration and approval as ministerial nominees including Senator Saraki and the immediate past Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, both of whom hail from Kwara State.

The duo, who addressed reporters separately, said the President had committed no error in picking the erstwhile female member of the National Assembly for ministerial slot, adding that she deserves the appointment if her past records and antecedents are to be considered.

Abojumeji described the nomination of the duo of Gbemisola Saraki and Lai Mohammed as uncommon gesture in the history of the state.

He pledged the support of the group to the choice of the former female lawmaker, pointing out that her achievements in the past had built confidence in the people that she would do better if given another opportunity.

“We, the good people of Kwara New Era Movement wish to use this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to our dear President Muhammadu Buhari for finding our daughter and brother Senator Gbemisola Saraki and Alhaji Lai Mohammed respectively worthy to be nominated as Ministers. We consider it as an uncommon gesture in the history of our dear Kwara State.

“Let it be on record for all Nigerians and indeed the world to know that we, the Kwara New Era Movement wish to affirm our solid support behind our amiable daughter Senator Gbemisola Saraki to represent the good people of Kwara, based on her past record and antecedents as both member of House of Representatives and Senator of Federal Republic of Nigeria, in terms of constituency projects and scholarships to our youth and some other good programmes during her tenure and till date”, Abojumeji said.

In his view, Obalowu told Journalists that the group had discovered some elements under sponsorship of some forces, who were out to disparage and launch a campaign of calumny against the former female lawmaker.

He said, “We discovered that there were some unknown elements that were trying to cause disharmony and disunity in Kwara regarding the nomination of Senator Gbemisola Saraki and we feel that being a citizen and bonafide daughter of Ajikobi in Ilorin, we want to tell fellow Nigerians and Kwarans that there was no iota of truth in what anybody was saying about Senator Gbemisola Saraki.”

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