The Senator representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District, Kabir Marafa, said on Sunday that the Senate President lacked both moral and constitutional rights to summon the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, for briefing on the state of the economy.

Marafa, the spokesperson for the Senate Unity Forum,  who stated this in a statement issued in Abuja, noted that since Saraki had allegedly violated some sections of the constitution to emerge as senate president on June 9, he cannot accuse another person of committing the same offence he had committed.

Our correspondent had reported that the decision of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance and other top officials to decline an invitation extended to them by the leadership of the National Assembly for a briefing on the state of the nation’s economy last week was currently brewing a major face-off between the two arms of government.

Our correspondent had also reported that the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Senator Issa Galaudu,  and the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, wrote separate letters to the permanent secretary but were both allegedly ignored.

The permanent secretary, according to sources close to the leadership of the Senate, was said to have shunned the meeting because there was no clearance from the Presidency to honour the briefing.

The Clerk’s letter, which was copied the Head of Service of the Federation and obtained by our correspondent read, “I refer to our letter Ref. No. NASS/S//SP/ COS/CORRP/15/1/06 of June 29, 2015 on the above subject matter and your text message of July 7, 2015,  to the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, signifying your inability to honour the invitation.

“Your action is a deliberate violation of the provisions of Section 67(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999( as amended).

“You are, therefore, requested to appear before the Senate Leadership as contained in your aforementioned letter on Wednesday July 8, 2015  at 2.00pm prompt.

“The third letter to the Permanent Secretary, which also insisted on the importance of the meeting, was written by the Chief of Staff to the Senate President. Galaudu’s letter, which was dated July 8, with reference number, NASS /8 th /S/SP/COS/CORRP/15/2/07, states,  ‘Please note that your text message of yesterday, Tuesday, July 7, 2015, which I received by hours of 20:02 pm, suggesting that you would not make today’s meeting, is unacceptable.’

“This is an affront to the President of the Senate and its leadership. The provision of Section 67(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), is very clear and unambiguous in this regard. Hence, you do not need the permission of any official before you attend or appear before the Senate.

“Consequently, I have the instructions of the President of the Senate and leadership that you do spear before them on the date and time earlier communicated to you, Wednesday, July 8, 2015 by 11am prompt. It is my belief that you will comply unconditionally.”

Investigations by our correspondent further revealed that the the Permanent Secretary had yet to appear before the senate leadership nor responded to the letters from both the National Assembly management and the office of the Senate President.

But Marafa, in his statement, accused Saraki of violating the same constitution which he claimed the permanent secretary had run foul of.

The senator said, “I read with open-mouth amazement, the letter written by both the Chief of Staff to the Senate President  and that of the Clerk to the National Assembly on the refusal or inability of a government functionary to honour the invitation of the leadership of the senate.

“They were saying the refusal violates section 67(2) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  Can somebody please tell them that they are guilty of similar, if not higher, offence?

“They,  infact, not only violated the constitution to ascend to the Senate leadership, they murdered it !”

Source: http://www.punchng.com/news/saraki-lacks-constitutional-right-to-summon-ps-senator/

cc lalasticla

ADOLESCENT DELINQUENCY

I think the PS is wrong to have refused to honor that
invitation. Both arms of government have power to
make Nigeria governable. The president does not have
to submit you to go before you do. You need to tread
wisely as those giving you the courage to ignore the call
of the powerful house will also walk you out of your
office. Buhari said he will be guided by the Constitution
of the Fed republic of Nigeria. If there is anything wrong
in our finances, you have to yield to the call of the house
to verify such. The Senate and House are their to
checkmate the activities of Mr President. This is how
we know that the change we voted for is still intact.#teamchange

Saraki don spoil hinself. He will go down in history as the most disrespected senate president as a result of the treacherous means through which he occupied that exalted seat.

Seems the shamble would continue till 2019, no respite to the internal war in APC.

midolian:
Saraki don spoin hinself

Don't mind that idiot. I hope that perm. sec continues to ignore the invitation.

dustmalik:

Don't mind that idiot. I hope that perm. sec continues to ignore the invitation.

Are you people inviting anarchy?

He should just brace himself for more of this sort of embarrassments. Even Allison Madueke sef defy senate invite severally.

http://www.punchng.com/news/fuel-scarcity-okonjo-iweala-allison-madueke-shun-senate-summons/

dustmalik:

Don't mind that idiot. I hope that perm. sec continues to ignore the invitation.

I hope so too. The guy doesn't deserve to be respected.

Old school rhyme. .....

First to do, e no dey pain....
Second to do, e eye go red........lol

AshiwajuFoward:
He should just brace himself for more of this sort of embarrassments. Even Allison Madueke sef defy senate invite severally.

Serves him right. Lets see how he arrogate more power to himself same way he seized the Senate.
I'll advice Buhari to go ahead and swear-in his ministers should the criminal Saraki try to pose a stumbling block.

Karma is a B**tch, it hits you when you feel you are untouchable, and Army, Police, Court can't help you on this one since you disrespected both your fada and the party that brought you to power, when you disrespected your fada we didn't intervene cuz it's family issue unknown to us, you are turning yourself to a monster like and must be stopped or rubbished at all cost. I am a fulani man but I will vote for Asiwaju a millions times than to waste my vote on Atiku, dangote and the sarakis of this world. Jagaban Borgu till mahdi comes.

Are these guys in APC wired to reason like animals? Oh becos saraki legally wangled his way to the top, he shud be disrepected eh? Little wonder the president is a daura zombie.

Karma!

Iykopee:
Are these guys in APC wired to reason like animals? Oh becos saraki legally wangled his way to the top, he shud be disrepected eh? Little wonder the president is a daura zombie.

Thiis APsheittes will turn Nigeria to animal farm

@Saraki, what goes around comes around.

I thought BS himself refused to attend a 'well intended' meeting being chaired by a "mere commissioner"!
He shouldn't sulk too much over this, things will shape out with time.

And the cookie keeps crumbling, APC will self destruct before june next year

He he he, Saraki you sef don become ordinary senate president karma is on time

Is someone crying of disrespect?
That's the way the cookie crumbles!

That CBN guy - Emefule that was busy taking pictures with saraki last week is a goner!

Test of loyalty for the permanent secretary.
With pmb yet to appoint Finance minister, Senate invitation of perm. sec is like usurping the power of the Executive.

Majority of Nigeran voters earnestly wish they could turn back the hand of time to pre March 28 but its too late. The damage is already done until another opportunty in 2019. Once bitten twice shy.

Why can't the UNITY group faction of the senate bury the hatchet and work with whoever is the senate president towards giving Nigerians a positive change. Politicians have to start learning where to draw a line between governance and politics. Besides, the senate should visit the perm.sec with the full weight of the law.

Lol. Sore losers are nw hoping for anarchy to cure their broken heart. Well, in a bid to spite Saraki u ppl may end up playing into the hands PDP.

midolian:
Saraki don spoil hinself. He will go down in history as the most disrespected senate president as a result of the treacherous means through which he occupied that exalted seat.

Apc should keep it up at least they are teaching Nigerians well

they taught us that the once reverend and prestigious office of the president can be turn into a mere LGA because it's Gej now they are feeling the heat because it's their turn and Nigerians have little or no respect for the office.

now they want to teach us that Senate president office is the same.
let them bring it on we'll keep learning in more brutal way.


Buhari is a terrorist - Elrufai

K

eeyah! kpele.

specco:
Majority of Nigeran voters earnestly wish they could turn back the hand of time to pre March 28 but its too late. The damage is already done until another opportunty in 2019. Once bitten twice shy.

Eh Yah. Keep consoling yourself.

Just starting. Hope he gets better with time