SENATE President, Bukola Saraki, yesterday, responded informally to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to him last week, blaming all past leaders since 1999 for the woes the country is presently facing.
Saraki said rather than blame an individual, all past leaders of the country since the return of democracy in 1999 were culpable of the present economic problems of the country.
He insisted that all public office holders in Nigeria since 1999 , were involved in one way or the other, in the mistakes of the past that led the country to the present political and economic mess.
The Senate President spoke while responding to questions from journalists on the alleged secrecy of the National Assembly’s budget and corruption leveled against it by former President Obasanjo in a recent letter.
He noted that it was wrong for anybody to hold an individual or group of people solely responsible for the mess of the past.
Saraki said rather than trading blames on the woes afflicting the country now, what was needed from all stakeholders was a collective participation of all for the good of all Nigerian.
He vowed that details of the N115 billion National Assembly budget on section by section basis, would be transparently put into the public domain this year as against the practice of one item in the past.
He said: “We’ve all been here since 1999 up to the recent past when things were not done right; we are all part of it. I was there, you were there, every other political office holder in different capacities were there as well.”
“My own view from the 8th National Assembly is that the time for collective participation for the good of all Nigerians is here with us in line with the change mantra of the present administration . We are all on the same page for things to be done differently.
“I think what we need now from all stakeholders , is more of cooperation, encouragement and participation as oppose to trying to hold one person responsible for the mistakes of the past that we are all part of .It is clearly not the right thing needed now.
“I Appeal to you , appeal to all Nigerians that we should work together just as I assure you all that we will do well here in NASS to practically complement the change agenda, ‘’ he said.