Senate accuses Buhari of plotting to remove Saraki, Ekweremadu
21:20 20/06/2016
Abuja - The Senate has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of plotting to remove Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.
The Senate’s stance followed criminal charges of forgery slammed on Saraki and Ekweremadu, by the Federal Government.
Also charged alongside the two presiding officers are former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasu, and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi.
The Senate in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi, said the planned charges of forgery and conspiracy preferred against Saraki,Ekweremadu and the two others was a return to the era of impunity and lack of respect for due process which we all fought to abolish.
Read the full statement by the Senate:
1. After reading in the national newspapers and online platforms of the planned charges of forgery and conspiracy preferred against the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, his Deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, immediate past Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa and the Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Ben Efeturi and reviewing the circumstances leading to the filing of these charges, we are compelled to alert the good people of Nigeria and the international community, that our democracy is in danger and that the attempt by the Executive Arm of the Federal Government to muzzle the legislature and criminalise legislative processes in order to cause leadership change in the National Assembly is a return to the era of impunity and lack of respect for due process which we all fought to abolish.
2. We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to please call his Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to order. The Senate of the Federal Republic voted freely to elect its leadership into office and continuing attempts to change that leadership through the wanton abuse of judicial processes cannot stand in the eyes of the world. It is clear that the Attorney General and party leaders behind this action either lack the understanding of the underlining principles of constitutional democracy, the concept of Separation of Powers, checks and balances and parliamentary convention or they just simply do not care if the present democracy in the country survives or collapses in their blinded determination to get Saraki and Ekweremadu by all means necessary, including abuse of office and sacking the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Also read: My hands are clean, says Ekweremadu
3. The Nigerian people have enough economic hardship at this time requiring the full attention and cooperation of the three arms of government, instead of these attempts to distract and politicise governance. We are in a state of economic emergency such that what the National Assembly needs at this time are executive bills and proposals aimed at resolving the crises of unemployment, currency depreciation, inflation, crime and insecurity. What the National Assembly needs now are executive bills to build and strengthen institutions to earn revenues, fight corruption and eliminate waste. Instead, we are getting hostile actions aimed at destabilising the National Assembly, distracting Senators from their oversight functions and ensuring good and accountable governance