A former Minister of National Planning and presently the Director General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, (NILDS) Professor Abubakar Sulaiman has described as false and malicious an online report alleging his participation in the just concluded Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Local Government Congress, held across Kwara State.
Professor Sulaiman said; ”It is equally false, the claim that he passed unsavory comment on his relationship with the former President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki.”
He expressed these views in a statement issued on Thursday and personally signed by him.
Professor Sulaiman said; “the report is entirely false. I did not participate in the PDP congress nor made any reaction on the exercise as alleged in the fabricated report. I do not have any interest in the PDP Congress and not engaged in any leadership tussle with anyone as I have since halted my participation in political activities.”
He stated that ”It is in the public domain that he has relinquished active partisan politics hence the recent allegation of his political interest with the Kwara PDP should be disregarded.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I, at the moment, don’t have any interest or stake in partisan politics and do not belong to any political party. I am fully preoccupied with my current national assignment at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS, and I advise detractors to allow me focus on my job.”
”I will always be grateful to Saraki.
”Those who have interest in 2023 politics should not drag my name into it. My personal relationship with Dr Bukola Saraki, those who know me, know I have never hidden my appreciation to him for facilitating this my current position. For this, I’ll always be grateful to him.
“I urge Kwarans and other members of the public to disregard the report that is the handwork of some mischievous elements,“ Professor Sulaiman explained.
Mercy Chukwudiebere