Investigations by our correspondent revealed that trouble started when
some senators who are loyal to Saraki, held a meeting on Sunday evening
and decided to issue a statement declaring their full support for the
embattled Senate President.
But the senators incurred the wrath of their colleagues in the Senate
Unity Forum following their statement declaring the support of the
entire Senate for Saraki. The statement signed by the Chairman, Senate
Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, indicated
that it was the position of the Senate to support Saraki and judged him
innocent of charges levelled against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau.
The statement partly read, “Following a meeting held in Abuja yesterday
(Sunday) by some senators and the wide consultations with our colleagues
in which we reviewed last Friday’s decision of the Supreme Court in the
appeal on the preliminary matters filed by the Senate President, Dr.
Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on the charges filed against him at the Code of
Conduct Tribunal (CCT), we hereby resolve as follows:"
“That from the beginning of the trial last September, we have declared
that this case is not about any fight against corruption; it is simply a
case of political vendetta.
“Our position remains the same. We still believe that the case is politically-motivated.
“We also noted that the decision of the Supreme Court given last Friday
was on preliminary matters arising from the commencement of the trial.
“The trial proper has yet to begin. And since the fundamental principle
in our legal system is that a defendant is deemed innocent until proven
guilty, we have decided to patiently observe the proceedings until the
case runs its full circle in the nation’s final judicial forum.
“It is on this ground that we want to state categorically that there is
no basis for the call on the Senate President to resign until after the
matter is decided in that final judicial forum. Such a call at this time
is premature, mischievous and unwarranted.
“We therefore reiterate our support for Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki
as the President of the Senate. We stand by him as he goes through the
trial at the CCT where we believe he will be able to prove his
innocence.
“We also call on members of the public to ignore the ranting of a few
senators who having failed to get the wish of their sponsors done on the
floor of the Senate are now launching media campaign against the
leadership of the Senate.
“We want members of the public to know that the Senate under Dr. Saraki
has achieved stability in the legislative institution and we do not need
any negative distraction at this point.
“The focus of the Senate is on the objective consideration and timely
passage of the 2016 budget and we will want all Nigerians to support us
as we concentrate on this important assignment.
“We also want to say that we will not make any further statement on this
case until the matter has been decided in the final judicial forum.”
But the spokesperson for the SUF, Senator Kabir Marafa, expressed shock
at the contents of the statement, saying it was the position of a few
senators.
He insisted that his position and that of other members of the SUF on the issue remained unchanged.
He said, “In as much as I want the whole world to know that members of
the SUF do not have any personal problem with the Senate President, we
believe that as lawmakers, we should respect the law. I am not aware of
any meeting of senators where that decision was taken and we are not
part of it.”
Another member of the SUF from the North-Central, said the group would
make its position known at the appropriate time, following the normal
legislative procedure.
He said, “We will definitely pass our message across to the Senate using
the normal channel. We will not take issue with anyone on the pages of
newspapers.”
Also, a ranking senator from the South-West, who is also a strong member
of the SUF, told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that the
statement did not represent the position of the Senate.
The senator, who said the South-West caucus would react officially at
the appropriate time on the issue, accused the Senate spokesperson of
abuse of office as he was only expected to make public the resolution of
the Senate taken at plenary by either simple majority or two-thirds
majority.
He said, “This statement is obviously a gross abuse of office on the
part of the Senate spokesperson. How can you meet with a handful of
senators in a private home and issue a statement on behalf of the entire
109 senators?
“The Senate has its own procedure. Such position could only be taken at
plenary through a motion. I am aware that there was no emergency meeting
since the Senate has suspended plenary.
“So, what is the basis for issuing the statement? Was there a motion?
Who sponsored it? Our position is that Senator Saraki should resign and
face his trial and we are committed to it."
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