Date: 2016-11-25

A former Deputy Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Prof. Yisa Gana has told former speaker of the House, Yissa Benjamin not to drag the Senate President and chairman of National Assembly, Dr Abubakar Saraki into his ordeal in the hands of the senate which rejected his nomination.

Benjamin accused Saraki of being behind the disqualification of his nomination as a non-executive commissioner of the Nigerian Communications Commission by the Senate.

Speaking during a media briefing in Ilorin weekend, Benjamin claimed that some of Saraki's loyalists had already told him that since his nomination was not from the former governor, he would be rejected by the Senate.

Both Gana and Benjamin are from Pada district in Patigi Local Government Area of the state and were both nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking to National Pilot last night on the issue, Gana said the embattled former speaker should blame himself and not Saraki while challenging him to disclose what he told the senate committee when he appeared before it.

"This is not about Saraki at all. Was it Saraki that screened him and in any case, a committee is not a single individual. I don't see why he is blaming the Senate President. We learnt he was questioned but the committee felt the qualification was too low for somebody to aspire for that position especially from Kwara State where there are capable hands for such assignment.

"He has not convinced anybody with the briefing but only trying to whip up sentiment. And moreover, he should also tell the public how his name got there in the first place.

The Senate President yesterday in Abuja washed his hands off Benjamin's ordeal saying that he could not single handedly decide or override the decision of the senate.

Saraki who spoke though his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Yusuph Olaniyonu in a statement noted that "No nominee will be rejected if the majority does not support his rejection. In any case, there was a reason given for the rejection of this particular candidate".