Date: 2017-07-08

The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki Friday recalled with nostalgia that he was under intense pressure from so many quarters to resign as the senate president when his trial before the Umar led Chairmanship of CCT lasted.

Saraki, who addressed his supporters at the Ile Arugbo section of his Ilorin home, said he declined to resign at every point of the pressure when he considered his huge contribution to the ruling party success story.

Saraki however attributed his victory at CCT to God and the solid support of his followers and supporters

The Senate President, who danced to various songs from the women and youths who were the main target of Friday's event, also hinted for the first time on roles played by individuals and groups, , including the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu- Gambari and clerics, during his trial at the tribunal.

His words,"We thank God for today because when the entire travail started it was from this same place that we gathered and said we would come back on a day like this to do exactly what we are doing now. And I want to thank the Emir of Ilorin for staying very firm with us. He did it to the extent that even his colleagues across the country knew and at a point he said we would not beg again; that we would resort to prayers because we were innocent. You know he too has legal background, so he said we would focus on God.

"And for you women, I can’t thank you enough. When the matter started you were all confused and you did all within your power and means to help us. You did everything out of love, not out of politics.

"At the height of the travail, I called a cleric and he said the matter was for them, not even for me so they were indeed praying for us and I want to thank them too. We are in this position because God wants it so. When they asked me to resign, I said, why? We know how much we fought for this government to come into place. They are just fighting God; they are envious of what God is doing. That is why we will still come back to this same place on the remaining issues, he stated."

Earlier, the state chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Hon. Ishola Balogun-Fulani had described the appeal by the federal government as another level of witch hunting the Senate President, arguing that if the federal government knew what was best option available to it, such as step would have been avoided.

Balogun-Fulani who listed some prominent Nigerians who had faced similar charges and were acquitted like Saraki wondered why the government did not appeal such decision only to wake up to take such a step now. He described Saraki as a man who has brought more glamour and dignity to the post of the Senate President.

Both the Women and Youth Leaders of the party expressed joy over the CCT decision and praised Saraki for not abandoning his constituency even at the height of his travail.