Senate President Bukola Saraki on Tuesday said that protesters who stormed the national assembly to demand for his resignation were sponsored by ministers and governors.
The Protesters had earlier in the day stormed the national assembly, demanding the resignation of Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, over the alterations to 2018 budget.
The Senate president made the allegation during plenary following presentations made by Barnabas Gamade, the senator representing Benue north-east, over the protest.
He noted that the implementation of constituency projects remains the exclusive preserve of the executive.
Saraki said, “For Nigerians being used – people are taking advantage of the poverty in the country and what is saddening about it is that those who are doing this are those who are part of government. This does not help the unity of the arms of government.”
“Mr. President needs to investigate this and call to order – there is no secret in this. If you go out there, those boys will tell you where they are collecting the money from; the minister giving them the money, the governor that is giving them the money and these are governors, ministers in the same ruling party.
“So, I rarely don’t understand how they will promote unity with these kind of things. There is need for these kinds of activities to stop. If keep weakening this institution, it will hurt us down the line when we need them. Those showing, rascality irresponsibility should be called to order because they are taking advantage of these young ones.
“If there is something wrong with the implementation, it is the executive. We don’t award the contract, we don’t release the money. Those behind the protest should desist; we know who you are, it is not in the interest of the unity of this country,” he noted.