Saraki...this Senate is committed to addressing the nation's challenges


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Senate President Bukola Saraki has told the BBC Hausa service that he acquired 95 per cent of his wealth before he entered politics.

He is currently under investigation by the federal authorities over allegations of falsely declaring assets when he was Governor of Kwara State.

Saraki acknowledged that there was corruption in the country, but said his wealth was a result of coming from a blessed family and hard work.



He said he was confident that he would be cleared of the charges against him and he would continue to serve in public office.

The senator also said he had not evaded tax – an accusation highlighted in the Panama Papers.

He said: “Based on legal advice the company was set up because they were acquiring an asset and it was advised at that time and that’s how it was set up to the best of our knowledge. It was not a company that was set up by ourselves; it was set up by a legal firm and under a legal firm as far as to the best of our knowledge no law was being broken.”

His wife also appeared in those documents accused of registering a company offshore to buy a London property.

Recession: Saraki Urges Nigerians In Diaspora To Support FG
0Economy, News, Press ReleaseOctober 27, 2016A+A-EMAILPRINT
Recession: Saraki Urges Nigerians In Diaspora To Support FG
Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has called on Nigerians in Diaspora to support the present administration in pulling the country out of recession with their abundant skills and expertise which are in dire need in the country at this time.

Bukola Saraki on recession and diaspora
Senate President Bukola Saraki

Saraki, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, made the appeal during an interactive forum, organized at his instance, for the Nigerian community in Switzerland.

The Senate President who led the National Assembly Delegation to the 135th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Geneva, said he is confident that Nigerians in Diaspora have the skills and competencies required to assist the Government in its efforts to exit the current recession and for the progressive development of the country through investments.

He said the Senate and by extension, the 8th National Assembly is working on passing legislation that would encourage Nigerians in diaspora to return and invest at home even as he asked for their input on the kind of laws they want to put in place to make their return profitable.

Saraki told reporters after the event, attended by over 100 Nigerians, comprising students, businessmen and professionals living in Switzerland, that the session was necessary to apprise the Nigerian community of the situation of things back home and the opportunities for collaboration that exist.

“We find that it has become very necessary to interact and share ideas with Nigerians here because a lot of people are not well informed of what the responsibilities of the National Assembly are and some of the work we have been doing, both regarding passing new legislation that would improve the lives of Nigerians and to also give them a picture of the economy which today is a topic of great concern to all Nigerians both in and outside the country – particularly those in the Diaspora.

“We want to really send a message across that the recession is a phase that we are passing through and hopefully, I am confident that very soon we will come out of it. But to come out of it, we have to take certain steps.

“The steps that we hope to take in collaboration with the executive and the prospects ahead of us as a country – both for them in the Diaspora and the role they can play in working together with government to move the country forward,” he said.

He urged his country men and women in Switzerland to partner with the government in critical sectors of the economy by deploying their capacity and making good investments, even as the National Assembly is putting laws in place to make it attractive for them to participate profitably in the economy back home.

“Particularly here in Geneva, you find a lot of them are well qualified and doing very good jobs,” he said. “I am sure a lot of them will like to come back if the right condition is there. All we have to do now is to ensure that we have the enabling condition and environment that would make people come back.

“And when you say investment, it is not just financial investment, there is also human investment where people will be ready to come back and look up opportunities. We talk about the issue of Information Technology (IT), and that there are great opportunities in Nigeria and how we can work together with some of them on the kind of laws that they think will make it very interesting and the incentive for companies to come in and set up different IT structures.”

“If they do that, of course, they will be looking for people that have the capacity to be able to run it and some of them have that know-how, but they just don’t see what role they can play in Nigeria.

“We spent some time explaining to them the importance of the procurement law and the buy-Made-in-Nigeria campaign where we are trying to ensure that at least government agencies give first option to Nigerian companies.

“That is some of the work we are doing to see that we strengthen our development banks, that will provide credit for small and medium-size companies in the areas of manufacturing.

“The good thing is that there is need and desire for a lot of them to want to come back. We have a lot of work to do to create the enabling environment but also more important, is that we must market ourselves.

“I do not believe that not thinking positively about the country or that running down the country will help anybody. At the end of the day, if we do not think positive about our country, nobody will come and invest in our country and the bottom line is that it is clear that government resources alone cannot take us out of the recession,” he said.

The Senate President insisted that the burden of providing infrastructure must be taken away from the shoulders of government to enable it concentrate its scarce resources on tackling social ends.

He said: “Government has to address infrastructure deficit which has built up over the years, government has to address the issue of education, security, and health and by the time you have the limited resources you are not able to do that because funds are not there.

“You must look for alternative sources of investment and that is where the National Assembly is trying to pass a lot of laws in the infrastructure area. We have passed the Railway Amendment Bill to create the enabling environment for private sector to participate in that sector.

“We are taking on roads to encourage and make it easy for the private sector to take that burden away from government – at least on the major trunk A roads. We are working on laws also on ports to make room for private sector participation. If you begin to push away some of the infrastructure burdens to the private sector, government will then have more funds to address the social aspects of life.

“Some of the things we are doing in the Senate is not just to go there to just pass any bill. There is a focus and motive behind it and that is to ensure that we try as much as possible to see how we can raise interest and investment in these sectors necessary to increase productivity,” he said.

56th Independence Anniversary : Leadership Must Sacrifice More - Melaye
* Proffers Smart Solutions for Economic Recovery
* Recommends Presidential Amnesty/Pardon for Treasury Looters, Militants

As Nigeria marks the 56th Anniversary of her Independence, the leadership at all levels of governance must begin to sacrifice more to serve both as an example and an inspiration to the citizenry to bond together and pull the nation out of the current economic recession, Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) has declared .

In his Anniversary Message in Abuja weekend, Melaye also urged Nigerians not to despair yet, but to continue to support the federal government in her determined effort to pull the nation out of the recession. He also called on Nigerians to continue to show resolve by seeking common ground to face the difficult economic realities with unity of purpose.

" 56 years of independence as a sovereign state should, and ought to be a time to roll out the drums and celebrate our journey to true nationhood. Unfortunately, the present economic hardship has denied Nigerians this luxury. What is required under the circumstances is modesty and deep introspection on how we got to this sorry pass. But more importantly , the current times calls for more sacrifices on the part of the leadership from the local, state to the federal levels". He added:

" Unlike so many other relationship fundamentals, leadership is a top-bottom dynamic if it must inspire and command loyalty and the needed follower-ship. At times like this, the leadership must sacrifice more, give up some of its pecks of office, show more compassion and empathy, and desist from leading opulent and offensive lifestyles that are capable of inflaming passions amongst the suffering masses.

"The change Begins with Me" gospel will resonate more with the people if those at the helm of affairs show the way and lead by example. While very tangible sacrifices are required of the leadership at the moment, perhaps the leaders can begin with a symbolic gesture. Since names and appellations matter, those at the helm of affairs must immediately drop those appellations that accentuates the existential divide between them and the citizenry until there is a marked improvement in the material condition of the people.

" In this regard, I recommend that henceforth no President, Vice President, Governor, or Deputy Governor should answer the name 'His Excellency' until the material condition of ordinary Nigerians has also become 'Excellent'. No Senator should continue to answer 'Distinguished' until the the masses of the people begin to experience a distinguished existence and no Federal or state Legislator should wear the badge of 'Honourable Member' until the ordinary citizen is himself living a life that can be classified Honourable in every material particular.

"This is a first significant step in erasing the class barrier that misleads those at the helm of affairs into believing erroneously that they deserve a better existence than the ordinary man on the street, and thereby conferring them with the delusional legitimacy to amass the public till on their behalf", he said.

Melaye is also offering his "Smart Solutions" to the current economic crisis bedeviling the nation which if implemented are capable of fast-tracking our way out of the recession. These Smart Solutions range from the mundane, to the very radical.

"As a means of addressing the dwindling state of revenues accruing to the federal government which is adversely affecting the implementation of the 2016 budget, deliberate effort must be made to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country. This can be achieved by improving the security situation in the North East and the Niger Delta since no serious investor will put his his resources in a climate where insecurity is a daily fare. Government's effort in this direction must be two-prunged : a combination of military action and a psychological warfare to win the hearts and minds of the people in the two besieged regions.

" Government must also devise ways to pacify the Niger Delta Avengers and other militant groups in the region through a very creative, robust and efficient Amnesty programme. This programme must also be implemented simultaneously with a robust and sincere "Marshall Plan" for the development of the region. The combined effect of the New Amnesty Programme and the Marshall Plan will not only ensure sustainable peace and development in the area, but also prevent the mutation of new militant groups in the future since there would have been a systemic disincentive for their emergence.

"Needless to add, sustainable peace in the Niger Delta would lead to the security of oil installations, boost oil and gas production, increase foreign exchange earnings, attract more revenue to the coffers of the governments at all levels, facilitate the implementation of budgets and ultimately result in a marked improvement in the standard of living of the generality of the citizenry, and not just for the privileged few", he emphasized, adding:

"The diversification of the economy away from the current mainstay-oil, to agriculture and manufacturing must also be pursued more aggressively if Nigeria must be pulled out of the recession in the shortest time possible. In this regard, access to single digit interest facilities to investors in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors should be made less tedious and seamless. Tax holidays can also be considered as an incentive to get more investors, both local and foreign to take to agriculture and manufacturing to create jobs and boost the real sector.

"Furthermore, relevant laws must be reviewed and new ones enacted to give states and local governments higher stakes and autonomy in the exploration and exploitation of solid minerals in their domains. This will breed competition amongst states and local governments, create jobs, boost the local economy and reduce unemployment, crime and other associated social vices".

Melaye, a dogged anti-corruption crusader and activist, is also recommending Presidential Pardon and Amnesty for Treasury Looters. There is a critical caveat though - Return the looted funds within six months of the declaration of amnesty or face the full wrath of the law.

"Though an unrepentant advocate for integrity and forthrightness especially from public office holders, l however sincerely want to recommend that Mr. President grants Presidential Amnesty/Pardon to all those who looted our treasury provided they return all proceeds of their loot to the government within six (6) months of the declaration of the Amnesty.

"This, I believe will encourage the voluntary return of the the looted funds, empower the government financially to immediately commence the implementation of projects and programmes that will stimulate the economy and raise the peoples' standard of living, and save the judiciary and other law enforcement agencies the agony of fruitlessly pursuing the looters in and out of the courtrooms. In the long run, this would be a win-win situation for both the government and people of Nigeria.

"At the expiration of the six months' 'Moratorium', all those who failed to comply would then me made to face the reality of aggressive and expeditious prosecution and eventual jail terms for convicts in accordance with the laws of the land", he concluded.


Senator Dino Melaye
Kogi West

The chemistry of change is a conglomeration of political correctness, economic boom, social re-engineering and mulching a democratic culture, capable of attracting the world to Nigeria.
2015 was characterized by an unusual popular action against the then ruling PDP. The electorates waited for hours to register their support for their hero, President Muhammadu Buhari. He won the hearts of the people with his change crusade across the nation.
But the economic reality in the nation today is a betrayal of that electoral revolution of 2015. Families are finding it increasingly difficult to feed their children. The change which torched up the hope of a nation in 2015 has now become an object of ridicule. People now talk of changing the change. A word of hope now becomes a way of expressing hopelessness.
While it may be unfair to blame the President for the failure, it will also be unfair on the PDP to completely exonerate the incumbent President from the blame. Nigerians couldn’t have heaped all the blames on Jonathan for every woe under his watch but exonerate the incumbent when the cards are falling. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Leadership is about responsibilities.
To save the All Progressives Congress from the danger of changing the change, party leaders have to rise to the occasion. In a country where politics is everything and everything is politics, party leaders were hiding behind political exigencies, afraid to speak the truth to powers.
And it came to a brute reality that those who damned the consequences became heroes, not only among the dejected populace, but also among the powers who appreciates the mirroring of the times. One of those who spoke out to powers to rescue the populace was the effervescent Sen. Dino Melaye.
In the midst of a deafening silence at the centre of discomfort, Melaye stuck his neck out by calling for the sack of the economic Team, which in his perception, is peopled by incompetent people who are incapable of dragging our nation from its present recession.
Signals emanating from sources at the Presidency told Mr. Pen that the President is prepared to yield to pressures from the Senate to re-energize the Economic Team by bringing people with fresh ideas.
The humility of the President was displayed when he met with the Organized Private Sector at a retreat recently. He humbly solicited the support of the private sector and the National Assembly is solving the economic problems bedeviling the country. The stark reality is dawn on our leaders. We cannot continue to live in denial. As Yorubas would say, (aja iwoyi lomo ehoro iwoyi pa), meaning only modern dogs can kill modern rabbit.
The National Assembly must seize this golden opportunity to key into the sizzling poser of the mesmeric Dino Melaye to help fix our economy.
Has the present economic Team as constituted failed? Absolutely. It capitulated under a red-eye recession that is threatening the well-being of the people. No food, no jobs, no money, no power, no hope. The nation has been brought to her knees. In our very eyes, South Africa overtook us to become the biggest economy in Africa.
Let me borrow the words of Senator Dino Melaye, “You cannot continue to do the same thing the same way and expect a different result. You cannot continue to use a drug that is ineffective. Mr. President must reshuffle his economic team”. Succinctly patriotic!
Now that the President is ready to listen to the lawmakers, the legislators must rediscover their power by speaking on behalf of the populace. The Nigerian economy must be debated extensively with measures put in place. Sanctions must also be meted out to non-performing Ministers. They are carrying the destiny of 170 million Nigerians and must be held accountable. They can’t learn Development Economics with the lives of Nigerians.
I salute the Nigerian Senate under the leadership of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki for rising to the occasion to defend the welfare of the Nigerian people.
Now is the time to remind the President of the change promise. Nothing will begin with him when Nigerians roam the streets with empty stomach. All Nigerians are saying is : Let us have the capacity to buy the basic necessities.
Hunger is the root of every revolution. Nigeria beware. The people are quiet now because they trust President Muhammadu Buhari and the ever vocal Senate. When all of these instructions fail, I forbid so, Nigerians will ask the questions directly.
Buhari’s acceptance to discuss the economy with the Senate is a humble admission which must be hailed. Thank you Mr. President. Thank you Senate. Thank you Nigerians. Now, the hope is back.
Mr. Pen is a writer and thinker.

Sent from my iPhone

Concerned by the worsening conditions of Nigerians as a result of the economic recession, the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, said tuesday in Ilorin that the Senate upon resumption next week, would probe the cause of the recession, stating that it was necessary to know why in spite of budgetary provisions, many more citizens have receded below poverty line.

“The Senate on resumption will respond to the economic crisis with a number of measures including getting managers of the economy to give account to the people, making tough recommendations to the president on needed changes, formulating necessary legislative framework for economic recovery and undertaking wide consultations across the private sector,” he told journalists at his residence during the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.



Worries about the ailing economy were shared also by a former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who offered some tips on the way out of the woods, saying effective handling of spiralling inflation, foreign exchange problem, fiscal deficit and debts control were key to resolving the current economic crisis.

Okonjo-Iweala who spoke on Aljazeera TV programme, The Stream, said focusing on the basic issues of macroeconomic stability was crucial to fixing the country’s economic challenges.

Saraki, in his intervention, explained why the legislative interrogation of the executive management of the economy had become necessary: “We need to know why the promises of external borrowing have not materialised, why devaluation has not helped to strengthen the naira, why inflow of foreign currency has continued to dry up and interest rate is still very high? Doing this will help us to understand where we are, so that we can determine where exactly we want to go from here.”

Wondering why all the measures aimed at cushioning the effect of the recession built into the 2016 budget had failed, he said the Senate would interact with the executive to identify where the problems were.

“The Senate intends to invite everybody involved in the management of the economy to address the Nigerian people through the parliament on the steps that are being taken to get us out of this mess. We fully intend to hold all those involved in the economic management of the country accountable. However, we will do so in a manner that is transparent and there will be no cover-ups. We will make tough recommendations as necessary,” he said.

Suggesting a holistic approach to the efforts to pull the economy out of recession, Saraki said it had become necessary for the executive arm of government to accept his earlier offer of collaboration with the legislature and the private sector to resolve the prevailing challenges.

“In every crisis, there is always an opportunity for positive reforms. In this regard, in order to solve this crisis, all hands must be on deck. Ideas should be sourced from all quarters. All arms of government, people of different political beliefs, from all socio-economic backgrounds and every part of Nigeria must work together at this time,” he said.

He said the Senate would take the lead in encouraging a collaborative approach to the nation’s economic revival by meeting with stakeholders in the private sector to ensure it collates a broad spectrum of opinions while formulating ideas to stimulate the economy.

Saraki assured Nigerians that the Senate would play its constitutional role of providing the legislative framework for the revival and growth of the economy in the interest of the people. “We are going to have an exhaustive and comprehensive debate on fixing the country’s economy when we resume next week. We understand the pains that Nigerians are feeling and we do not take this for granted,” he said.

The Senate president called on all political leaders to show concern about the sufferings of the ordinary people, adding that it was necessary for leaders to always empathise with the people.

He commended the people for their perseverance and understanding but pleaded with them to exercise patience, saying that the political leadership was genuinely concerned about their plight.

Saraki said: “The positive attitude demonstrated by our people during the Eid-el-Kabir festival gave me hope that we, in the leadership of the country, should move swiftly to tackle this economic crisis. We have no option and this we must do without delay. I commend and praise our people for their perseverance and understanding.”

Okonjo-Iweala Suggests the Way Forward

Former Finance Minister, Okonjo-Iweala, said focusing on the basic issues of macroeconomic stability was crucial to fixing the country’s economic challenges.

“If you don’t pay attention to the fundamentals of having a stable and good exchange rate policy, inflation under control, manageable fiscal deficit and debts, there will continue to be trouble in the economy,” she said.
Nigeria is facing its worst economic crisis in decades. The economy slipped into recession after contracting in the first two quarters of 2016.

Inflation jumped from 16.2 per cent in July to 17.1 per cent in August 2016, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Since the introduction of the floating foreign exchange policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which freed the naira from a band of N197-N199 to the dollar, the currency has depreciated heavily on the parallel market.
Okonjo-Iweala, a former World Bank Managing Director, told Al Jazeera that she remained optimistic that solutions to the country’s economic decline could still be found.

Asked what would be her top three priorities to resolve the country’s current economic crisis if she had remained the finance minister, Okonjo-Iweala said she would prefer the current managers of the economy to talk about it.
“I have contributed the best I could to the country. It is still the most interesting country in the world. It is better to leave those who are managing now to say what they would do.

“All I can say is that there are solutions. Nigeria is a vibrant country. I love it so much. I know it is going to come out of this one way or another,” she said.

On if President Muhammadu Buhari were to ask her to come and help in resolving the country’s economic crisis, Okonjo-Iweala said: “One of the things you learn as you get wiser is to talk less as you grow older.
“I have spent my time contributing to the country. It will be better to leave those managing the economy to do what they know how to do.

“I served my country for seven years and it was a great honour. The second time was very tough, but it was still an honour. I am not the only person who is a repository of knowledge. There are other people who can equally try their hands in running the economy.”

Speaking on developments in Africa, Okonjo-Iweala expressed regrets that the economic gains recorded in Africa have started being eroded in the last two to three years.
“On the continent, we have seen a period when the economy was doing relatively well. It’s only in the last two to three years that things have started to go a bit south.”

She spoke about the job initiative of the Goodluck Jonathan government, YOU-WIN.
“The whole idea was to have a business plan competition. Beneficiaries were expected to create jobs to employ six people or more.

“Each created 9-10 jobs. The World Bank did an evaluation of it and found it good. I do believe the government should come in. We started a peer to peer mentoring. Now, one of the things I want to say is that creating employment is not only about struggles, it is about managing success,” she said.

On how the anti-corruption war was fought during her time in government, Okonjo-Iweala described it as “a very tough fight”.

“It was tough. I must thank my team. You don’t do it alone. I had the support of an economic team in the Ministry of Finance. At the end of the day, you need to have some principles,” she said.

Saraki: My Travails will Fizzle out Soon

Saraki...this Senate is committed to addressing the nation's challenges


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By Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, yesterday said his current political travails are mere distractions that would soon fizzle out.

Speaking during a town hall meeting with the people of the state in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, Saraki said: “Those distractions have started giving way.”



According to him, “All the travails one is going through, for those people who believe in God, know that all these are politics.

“All those distractions do not to allow us focus on issues. They always say that the truth will always prevail. We are beginning to see that truth is already prevailing. The distractions are finding their ways.

“I want to assure you that since my eight years as governor of the state, the legacy that we left is there for people to see. There is nobody after I have left office that can say either there is any uncompleted project in the state or any contractor anywhere in Kwara State that can stand up and say I demanded for any gratification from him.

“I want to say that my business in government is to improve the lives of the people. If it is for myself and family, I don’t have to be in government.”

Saraki who thanked Kwarans for their solidarity with him, assured Nigerians that government at the centre was working hard to revamp the nation’s ailing economy.

He said the All Progressives Congress (APC)- led government has no excuse not to fix the ailing economy.

The senate president explained that no responsible leader would abandon his followers in time of distress to wallow as being experienced with the current economic recession in the country.

He warned that members of the national economic team must buckle up and be ready to proffer solutions to the economic challenges facing the nation.

The former governor said: “Any of them not willing to offer personal sacrifice would have scores to settle with the Senate.”

Admonishing Nigerians to exercise patience, Saraki assured them that the Senate under his leadership would not rest until a solution is found, declaring that “It is a challenge to fix the problems and improve the nation’s economy.”

He said: “We have no excuse not to fix Nigeria economy but we need to be more patient in our agitation. It is important and of necessity to bring about solution. There is no responsible leader that will allow his people to suffer just because the economy is not doing well.

“Until we find solution to Nigeria’s problems, we will not rest. It is a challenge to improve the nation’s economy, and that is the primary reason people voted us into power. We can no longer engage in blame game, we are here to fix the problems. By the special grace of Almighty, we shall succeed.

“As things stand, I understand your concerns and feel your pains about the economy,” he said, “I assure you that we will work together to bring about legislative and policy solutions to address the lingering economic.”

He expressed concern that Nigerians were in the habit of aiding the economy of other nations with unbridled patronage for foreign goods at the expense of the locally made products.

The Senate president said the National Assembly had provided requisite legal frameworks to strengthen the campaign for the patronage of made-in-Nigerian goods.

On the renewed hostility in the Niger Delta, Saraki stated that only dialogue would solve the crisis.

He explained that the ruins in the region had grounded crude oil production from 2.2million barrels daily to 900,000 barrels.

Saraki maintained that engaging the concerned people in the area in talks would arrest the situation, adding that “the same method was used during the time of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and it worked.”

He also advocated that teacher’s salaries should become an item in the capital expenditure in the budget of federal and state governments in order to ensure its prompt payment to beneficiaries.

Saraki noted: “I have always said that teacher’s salaries are one of the priorities that we must not neglect. This is why we should consider transitioning all such line items in the national and state budgets into capital expenditures. This will ensure that education is always a matter of greatest importance and teacher’s salaries are always promptly paid.”

He therefore said it was useless to put building of classrooms and provision of laboratory equipment in capital expenditure when the teachers who teach the students are not paid and therefore not happy.

We Will Overcome Economic Recession – Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki has expressed optimism that Nigeria will overcome the present economic recession just as he said the leaders in the country too are feeling the pain.

Speaking to State House correspondents shortly after observing the Friday Jumat Prayer with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, Saraki said with the cooperation and support of everyone, the country would overcome the challenge.

While urging all Nigerians to continue to pray for the success of the government, he, however, wished Nigerians, especially the Muslim faithful, a happy Sallah celebration.

How does one place a democracy that brooks zero opposition? It is one imperiled by its own kind and inherent contradictions, one bent on destroying itself. The point made here is that there are self-destructs obstinately being pursued by those who should protect democracy in Nigeria. These individuals care not about the consequences and every day, they inch closer to enveloping the nation in total dictatorship.
Many may feign ignorance – or think that those being blackmailed and hounded have no right whatsoever but to serve out their assumed sentences handed down to them through media mob trial – but the danger remains that, dictatorship is on steeply rise in Nigeria. No one man is good enough to enjoy absolute powers over others and that is why Nigerians chose democracy.
The nation cannot afford to practice dictatorship in place of democracy for its inherent dangers. It has never worked anywhere. The All Progressives Congress, APC, carries on as if they have no care in the world and as if they have Nigeria by the tail, forgetting that Goodluck Jonathan who probably felt the same way just left power abruptly for the same Party that is today, doing all it could to strangulate democracy.
Let the fact, which is in the public domain, be emphasized: credible opposition voices are now muffled and hounded, using anti-corruption agencies, which appear to be back to playing the old script of doing the bidding of any government in power. They carry out arrests before carrying out investigations and take their trumped up charges to court to obtain withholding orders and thereafter, dump their victims in prison and insist on them bringing the money being alleged without judicial pronouncements or ruling. These extrajudicial actions of the anti-corruption agencies are undisguisedly calculated to intimate opposition voices into complicit silence.
Many instances abound. The travails of Olise Metu soon gave way to that of Femi Fani-Kayode and then to that of Governor Ayo Fayose, who despite enjoying immunity as Governor, had his personal account with Zenith Bank frozen. This is a blatant disregard of provisions of S308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which grants Fayose immunity from prosecution. You may ask how freezing Fayose’s accounts affect his immunity. Well, according to the EFCC Act, the Commission cannot freeze a Governor’s accounts without a court order. And to obtain a court order EFCC has to institute civil or criminal proceedings against such a Governor. But S308 CFRN prevents EFCC from doing so yet they went ahead to freeze Fayose’s bank account, thus becoming law unto itself. How else does dictatorship come home to roost if not in fragrant disregard for the rule of law, due process, abuse of court process and violation of human rights and impunity?
As if these ugly examples are not enough, the executive arm has trumped up charges of forgery and conspiracy against the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, his Deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu. It is a well-orchestrated fact that since the emergence of the duo as Senate President and Deputy, the powers that be have been trying all tricks in the book to unseat them. The APC Party leadership has been riled up that Saraki became Senate President against their directive and Ike Ekweremadu, emerging his deputy from opposition PDP, to them, is also inconceivable despite the constitutional provisions for it.
The Code of Conduct Tribunal trial was quickly contrived and Justice Danladi Umar, who himself is said to be on administrative bail with the EFCC, may have seen a golden chance to play the ‘good boy’ with the case the Bureau he chairs buried for over a decade but today, he feels good pulling all the monkeyshines. The Senate has continued both in their solidarity with their leader and statutory duties of law making and oversight. Ekweremadu, perhaps the most experienced Senator in the Red Chamber, after David Mark, as Saraki’s deputy has ensured there is no lacuna in the Senate business each time Saraki has to attend the CCT day-to-day trial.
The even keel, which the Senate has enjoyed despite the distraction, has ruffled more feathers and a new ploy is now trumped up by charging both men for forgery of the Senate Rules with which they both emerged as presiding officers. Strangely, the Nigerian Police, which I understand, never questioned Ekweremadu and Saraki on the matter, once submitted a report to the Attorney General, in which no mention was made of the two, let alone indicting them.
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One then wonders why the Attorney General is heading to court with criminal charges without the Police ever questioning these ultimate leaders of the Legislative Arm or the Senate officially complaining that their Rules were forged. The motive is, without a doubt, targeted at embarrassing the presiding officers and ridiculing the Senate. It does appear also it is aimed at physically removing the two principal officers and forcing a change in leadership starting with the emergence of Senate President pretempore in the even of their absence.
The Senators saw through the witch-hunting of Saraki quite early and naturally chose to support the leaders who they constitutionally and freely chose for themselves and this solidarity is likely to be sustained in the face of the fresh onslaught. Lovers of democracy and the international community need to come alive in the face of the mounting threat to dethrone democracy and to force one party dictatorship on a pluralistic environment such as Nigeria.
Like the Senate itself noted, it is either the Attorney General and APC leaders behind this action 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.
In response to this latest plot directed at forcing a change of leadership, the Senate should rise more determinedly to fight for its independence. Under General Olusegun Obasanjo, such trampling on the legislature was rampant but the National Assembly soon learned to rebuff the executive excesses and that was why the desperate attempts of the executive to remove Ken Nnamani as Senate President and Ghali Umar Na’ Abba as Speaker both failed and won for the legislature its independence. Legislators of those eras made it possible. The present-day legislators are even in a better position to defend their forte and curb what is fast becoming executive rascality and dictatorship.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Rules of the Senate and how the institution elects its leadership are internal affairs and each Senate is given a set of Rules by the bureaucracy. The Senate, after being sworn and proclaimed, may amend the Rules if it so desires. Those claiming that the Rules of the 7th Senate should bind the 8th, are only being fantastically mischievous, and should tell Nigerians who produced the Rules with which the Senate was proclaimed in 1999.
Nigerians need to be reminded that the same Rules being beguiled produced even the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General (who is calling it fake) and all the ministers and 2016 Budget and all the confirmations made so far by this same Senate since they were all done based on the same purported forged Rules. If the 2015 Rules book is fake, then the AGF, Budget, etc are fake because you cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand. The executive cannot approbate and reprobate and call it justice.
Charging the Senate’s presiding officers to court over a matter already declared as “purely a domestic legislative affairs of the Senate” is, therefore, the height of executive rascality, impunit, and meddlesomeness that must be codemned by all.
What is more, the nation has many more important issues confronting her; killer herdsmen, spiraling unemployment, Boko Haram, Niger Delta resurgence, collapsing economy, to mention a few. Solving these problems requires the three arms working harmoniously and a distracted Senate can only worsen the lot of Nigerians.
There are people fueling the problem and posing as if they are now riding the tiger, forgetting that they too would end in its belly. Some of them see themselves as godfathers of the new order who must be obeyed. Butterflies calling themselves birds! Their fall would be a much more tragic crater, for dictatorship has no acolytes meant to grow but all are turkeys meant for tomorrow’s dinner. Throughout history, those who have nurtured dictatorship all ended as its main pitiable victims.

When last week I was writing on the recent preoccupation of the Senate under Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, namely the determination of the so-called ‘Like Minds’ senators, all supporters of the troubled duo, to hobble the Muhammadu Buhari presidency for what they consider its hostile attitude to the legislative arm of government.
As I was writing on this latest act of perfidy against the Nigerian people, I had no idea of what was already brewing within a closed-door meeting at the Senate.
There was no way I could have known that less than 24 hours later one of the most outrageous confirmations of my position on our inept Senate would occur and become public a day after. I speak here of the unseemly verbal attack and threat of physical violence by Dino Melaye against his female colleague, Mrs. Remi Tinubu. In the said commentary in this space, I had questioned the wisdom in the threat of the senators to shut down the Senate and all legislative activities as a prelude to their rumoured plan to commence impeachment proceedings against President Buhari. Their grievance is the ongoing trial for forgery of Senate standing rules of Saraki and Ekweremadu.
The threat was the latest in the series of proxy skirmishes being prosecuted by members of the Senate against President Buhari and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress party that the aggrieved senators hold responsible for the trial of their leaders. They choose to see their trial as an attempt to subvert the activities of the Senate and compromise its independence. The cowardly nature of the proxy battles is too obvious to be denied even when senators in the ‘Like Minds’ group choose to believe the contrary. They keep on speaking from both sides of their mouths making subtle and not-so-subtle attacks on the Presidency and the leadership of the APC while at the same time saying they would accept no change in Senate leadership. In all this, the senators speaking always ensure their names are not put in print. Yet their boasts of an imminent showdown and their readiness to take on the imagined adversaries in their shadow boxing never wanes. You can see them launching attacks, docking and throwing jabs all around. But all the while they hide, in their press wars, behind the anonymity of being sources who didn’t want their names mentioned.
You can then imagine one’s surprise when after one such behind-the-scenes skirmish it emerged that Dino Melaye who is renowned more for his childish display of unearned wealth has advocated for the ostracism of any member of the Senate supporting the ongoing trial of the Senate leaders if they don’t withdraw their support. He was taken on by Mrs. Tinubu and the result of that encounter is the outrageous threat of sexual violence, to wit: instant rape and physical walloping of his female colleague if she didn’t know her limits. This was after calling her ‘stupid’ and wanting to know from her if she took him, Melaye, for one of the party sidekicks that grovel before Senator Remi Tinubu’s husband. All of this happened during a session chaired by Bukola Saraki himself even if there is no consensus on whether he gave approving nods or not to the antics of Melaye. Melaye has hinged his attack on Mrs. Tinubu on the fact that he is not a coward and had to react to her unflattering comments about him. Of course Melaye cannot be and is not a coward or he wouldn’t threaten to beat up and rape his older female colleague. But if Melaye is not a coward, then what is he?
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I need not worry too much as to what Melaye claims to have said in his encounter with Senator Tinubu. What he said and did thereafter says more than he has admitted transpired inside that Senate session. He has denied threatening to impregnate (read rape) Senator Tinubu, wondering how he could have threatened to beat as well as rape her at the same time, as if both activity are mutually exclusive. In Melaye’s brave thinking one of the actions doesn’t imply the other obviously. But then he goes on to say that he couldn’t even have impregnated Senator Tinubu as she was past menopause. How Melaye knows this fact of Senator Tinubu’s life remains to be explained.
But this little bit more than anything else he has said on the matter at hand can tell anyone that Melaye lacks discretion and must have said more than he is prepared to admit to. Which gives the lie to his claim of not being a coward. Melaye is indeed a coward, a bully and a braggart in equal measure. His blustering outburst is just what it is: a waste of breath from an agbero touting passengers for his bolekaja. He is a squirrel who pretends to be a street toughie. His language both during and after his fight with Mrs. Tinubu betrays him. Even his promptness to deny any plan by him or others to fight President Buhari proves my point last week that the Senate is full of cowards fighting proxy battles.
This is not to say that Melaye would be doing anything brave by admitting that he expressed a desire to rape his colleague. Not at all. But in this man’s warped mind the one is the same as the other. Admitting to saying that he threatened to ‘impregnate’ Senator Tinubu is for him the same as being brave. Which would explain why he would travel to Lagos days after he was reportedly ‘banned’ from the South West by some APC stalwarts in the zone following his attack on Mrs. Tinubu and deciding to post pictures of himself on Lagos streets, including one allegedly on Bourdillon Street where Chief Bola Tinubu lives. What can anybody make of this childish act from a Nigerian senator? An act of bravery? What really is Melaye’s legacy as a legislator? His fighting bouts memorialised by that image of his torn, raggedy clothes after a pummelling in his time at the House of Representatives? This National Assembly where a female member was once slapped by her male colleague is infamous for its disdain of women. It needs rehabilitation and psychiatric test ought to be mandatory for members.

Press Statement
Communication as a tool for effective representation
I want to thank the people of Kogi West for the unalloyed support given to me so far, especially in the celebrated disagreement that erupted between myself and Sen. Remi Tinubu. Grasping the fact of the matter, in the face of infantile falsehood against my person. Your actions in the past few weeks have endeared and refresh my sense of service.
We have to keep the bond of understanding and solidarity as we renew our contracte du social. I will rebound your hope in Kogi West development.
My communication consultants are working on both simple and hi-tech communication platforms me and the people of Kogi West. From now, I am initiating a robust communication collaboration for the collective task ahead.
The platforms will collate your messages, proposals and suggestions which I will respond to every week. I am determined to build an unbreakable chord with the people of Kogi West. A vibrant communication platform will serve as antidote to the flurry of misinformation peddled by detractors.
My position as a Senator stems from your power to choose your representative. That power arrogates on me, the mandate to speak for you, speak to the issues that affect us as a people, speak against the issues that affect our people. We need a common action to lift up our dear Kogi West.
We need to start synchronizing the need for good leadership with that of good followership. A good followership makes a good leadership. I am prepared to act right and make us proud. I am prepared to work hard for all Kogi West people from Koto to Kabba, from Iyah Gbede to Kiri, from Mopa to Egbe. I am the symbol of your interest. I will never leave you in the lurch .
Having facilitated the award of the Obajana-Kabba road rehabilitation, kabba-Isanlu-Egbe-ilorin road is also in the 2016 budget facilitated by me. Iyara-Omuo has been advertised by FERMA,it is my responsibility to keep working towards ensuring the attraction of more federal projects to our Senatorial District.
Maternal mortality is one of the areas I am planning to extend intervention. I shall be making it a point of duty to focus international attention on the pandemic. It is an indictment on our commitment if lives are still lost in the process of giving birth to lives in the 21st Century. I will not be only loud on the issue, but will take necessary steps to redress the situation.
We have decided to properly structure our scholarship scheme to make it more effective in addressing the need of indigent students.
But more importantly, we have come up with a strong leadership brand, Brand Dino, to speak hope and responsibility into the lives of our next generation leaders. Societal models in music have signified their readiness to endorse the program that will fire up the youth to aspire. We can be the launch pad, we can be the impetus.
After four years, I want to be judged by my performance.
I am you.
Thanks.
Signed:
Senator Dino Melaye
Senator Representing Kogi West

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

DINO MELAYE :
HE, WHO HAS NO SIN, LET HIM CAST THE FIRST STONE . . .

By
Babatunde Faniyan

For his verbal Counter-attack on Senator (Mrs) Remi Tinubu, Senator Dino Melaye has been adjudged to have sinned.

Those in agreement, say “Aye” . . .
Those against, say “Nay” . . .

On Appeal before me however, and in my considered opinion, even from the little I know about him, I believe Senator Dino Melaye deserves forgiveness for his "sin". Why? Because the sinful remarks were “pulled” out of him.

Senator Melaye appears, to me, as a self-made man - totally independent and insensible of “god fathers”. He has come a long, hard way – from Grass to the Gracious height he has attained today. In essence therefore, Senator Melaye is a rugged, No-nonsense achiever and activist. He is a man of forthright action; highly wired to produce, to perform, to do his job, to meet his calling, to impart powerfully on his space. He has little patience for frivolity; would resist groveling before any man-made “gods”, and would not tolerate any underserved, assault from any quarters.
Above all, he would not condone what he sincerely believes is NOT right.

In the other corner, Senator (Mrs) Oluremi Tinubu is an honourable lady; also a distinguished senator. More than that, Oluremi Tinubu flaunts some intimidating credentials – encapsulated in her circumstance and stature as the wife of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who needs no introduction. But one cannot resist making a note that Tinubu is universally acknowledged as Nigeria’s latest “kingmaker”.

The Nigerian media has been awash with scathing condemnations of Senator Melaye’s verbal attack against Senator Tinubu. Some have called for his head.

However, and instructively, we have had also, a handful of write-ups on Senator Oluremi Tinubu which were far from being complimentary. These commentators from the other side of the coin drew reference to the reality that an Oluremi Tinubu action led to the Dino Melaye reaction. They went on to unearth some previous evidences of her penchant for arrogance – rooted, no doubt, in the perceived unassailable power and influence of her husband.

So what does one expect when one arrogant Amazon verbally attacks a proud, gazelle of a man? There must be a corresponding reaction against the action.
And for all those calling for the head of Senator Melaye, “the sinner”, they should pause and ponder. In the setting before us, Senator Tinubu is no less a sinner. We can chastise Melaye more on the sentimental basis that he is a man counter-attacking a woman – a ‘weaker vessel”? And because many expect him to absorb the woman’s insults with due “respect” to her husband and cringe back? We have reports that many senators, including the former senate president, “avoid her like a plague”. Do we expect every one to cringe before her?

We should pause and ponder. Because there are bigger, more ferocious “sinners” than Dino Melaye in our midst, even in the corridors of power who, by acts of commission and/or omission, are physically assaulting the fabrics that hold together the life of our nation and steadily draining out our life-blood. We have power brokers who are condoning/sponsoring criminal gangs under different appellations who are murdering innocent Nigerians virtually on a daily basis, with the country’s leadership looking the other way, seemingly unperturbed.

Those who are now crying: “Crucify Dino Melaye!” did not forget to recall that he was involved in a fracas when he was at the House of Representatives. Right there on the floor of the House, his dress was torn. What they did not bring out is that Melaye was a victim of the assault and that he was actually defending a distinguished representative of the women-folk! It was at the time when many representatives were pushing for the removal of the then Speaker Patricia Ette. Melaye saw through the plot that there was indeed no cogent evidence to support the fraud allegations against her; that the major grouse was from some prominent Northern members who found it odious to bow before a woman. This, to Melaye was injustice (Corruption!) against the duly elected speaker. He therefore stood staunchly to defend her against heavy odds. This is the hallmark of one who is a genuine fighter against Corruption.
And across the board to millions of us who are scathing in our condemnations of Senator Melaye’s verbal counter attack, let us pause and ponder: how many of us have NOT committed the sin of firing a worse verbal attack one time or the other, in anger – even in the face of less provocation?

He who is without such a sin, let him cast the first stone.


babsfaniyan@gmail.com

Babatunde Faniyan is a Lagos-based author, publisher and communications consultant.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Alleged Assaults on Remi Tinubu, the True Story by Dino Melaye

-I never threatened to beat Mrs Tinubu or said I’ll impregnate her

-Mrs Tinubu called me a mad dog, he also called me a thug

-I won’t apologize

-No plot to impeach Buhari

Following report of alleged assault of Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the National Leader of APC by Senator Dino Melaye, the latter in a press conference had refuted the claim and gave his own account of the story.

The Kogi West Senator at the hallow chamber admitted that he had verbal altercations with Mrs Tinubu but he never threatened to beat her nor made a comment to impregnate her as being reported.

The first time Senator accused Mrs Tinubu of calling him a “thug and mad dog”, remarks which he found uncharitable from a fellow Senator.

Dino Melaye, a staunch and ‘laud’ supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari during the presidential election campaigns denied the report of impeachment plot saying the only issue discussed at the executive session centered on the need for his colleagues who had instituted a forgery case against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu to withdraw it.

Melaye, who also informed of his ambition to be the President of Nigeria ‘one day’ also absolved the Senate President from the allegation that he nodded in approval to his jab to Senator Remi Tinubu.

Read the full text of his address below :

“It is my sincere pleasure to address you this morning. It wouldn’t have been necessary to address you on the subject matter am about to address you on but it has become expedient that despite the fact what I am addressing you transpired in the executive session of the senate but because of the misinformation by people of inundinate ambition out there. It has not only become expedient but it has become very, very paramount that I address you on this subject matter.

“On Tuesday, the 12th of July, we had an executive session to discuss basically on the issue of forgery case in court and when I stood up to address and I want to say that on my honour as a christian on my honour as a father and on the oath of my office as a senator of the federal Republic of Nigeria I am telling you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have never being a coward, I will not start an apprenticeship programme now on how to become a coward. Whatever I say anywhere I can boldly repeat everywhere. When I stood up and I made my submissions that day in the senate, all I did was to pacify my colleagues and asked that the case in court be withdrawn because already there is a resolution of the senate that the rules of the senate were not forged and since there was a resolution of the senate that the rules of the senate were not forged then I said all those who have gone to court should go and withdraw their names from court and that if at the end of the day those who refused to withdraw their names from court we should penalised them by suspending them, I said that.

“But I did not use any insolent abusive degrading or mannerless language. So there was no reaction from any of our colleagues as regards my presentation. After I spoke so many other senators spoke and I did not mention the name of any senators while I was making my presentation, unfortunately senator Oluremi Tinubu got up and was recognised to speak and immediately she started speaking she specifically mentioned my name even when in my presentation I did not mention anybody names I only appeal to the sensitivity of my colleagues and asked them to withdraw their case from court and reminded them already that there was a resolution of the senate that the rules were not forged. But because of reasons only known to senator Oluremi Tinubu she got up the first thing she said was that she’s being harrassed in this chamber by senator Melaye. I kept quite at that point, she went ahead to say that why will he come here and be threathening senators and there was a large chorus from senators how, when, where, senators reacted. At that point I was still very calm, she got up again and said that this thug must be tamed at that point I got up and I told her that she is very stupid. The next statement from her is that you are a dog. She called me a dog and when she called me a dog I stood up and I reacted and I told her that this is not Bourdillon and that she should look at my face, I am not one of those senators who normally come to prostrate to them in Bourdillon. And I told her I am from Kogi State, I am not from Lagos State and that there would never be a day that I will come to you for political assistance. This were my words and she went on shouting dog, thug.

“I want to tell you gentlemen of the press for every reaction there must be an action. When I got up to address my colleagues she was not the only senators there. If I had used insolent language or foul languages you will know the type of senators we have they would have reacted and some of them would have even addressed you guys by now to say Dino insulted us. But because she acted in the manner she did not one senator stood up in her defence when I was tongue lashing her. Even the senators from Lagos was there, Ashafa was there he didn’t stand up from his seat. It is not true that anybody circled her because there was no need to. I did not leave the spot where I was sitting I didn’t get up from my seat. So there wouldn’t have being anybody to but somehow she got falsehood sold to the saharareporters. Nobody amongst those of us who spoke there actually talked about impeachment. Infact the issue of the presidency or president was not the subject matter we were discussing on how the senate can also come together and solve the forgery case. There wouldn’t have being any need to even discuss about Buhari or the Presidency but because of deliberate wickedness and satanic manifestations they brought in the issue of presidency to garnish their aim and purpose. Today, I read on the pages of newspaper that in Nation to be very precise that senator Borrofice calling me names. Unfortunately, this expatriate senator, absentee senator called senator Borrofice was not even in the Chamber and he has not being in the chamber for the past two months. He was not in the chamber, I was surprised maybe he has celestial powers to understand what happens in his absence. For him to open his gutter and pass insolent languages on me. I have never being a coward and I will never be, I fight my battles alone and I stand by it and there is nothing I say anywhere that I cannot repeat everywhere. If there are instances that I am not a super human being, if there are instances where as a human being I have reacted negatively I am also ready to be apologetic about it. But in this particular instance, I have never mentioned anybody’s name, I never even used insolent languages but because they are here to heal from the wound of defeat of the election of the senate president and because of my key role in this exercise where she and her husband called me severally to appeal to me to backoff Saraki and I say I will not backoff Saraki, I will continue to support Saraki, Saraki is my brother, he is my friend and I will continue to support him and this will not change today, it will not change tomorrow, it will not change in this four years of our stay in the Senate.

“Every human being can have ambition, it is not a crime to be ambitious. saraki had the ambition of becoming a Senate president and God endorsed it, president Muhammadu Buhari is an ambitious person that is why he contested for the presidency four times before God answered him. I am an ambitious person, I even want to be president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria very soon.

“So it is not a crime to be ambitious. So if you go through the papers today there has been a lot of misinformation, a lot of lies, a lot of blackmail, planted stories just to disparage the person and personality of Dino Melaye but I want to assure everyone that I remain resolute in my compaternal convictions, I will continue to stand by the truth, I will continue to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, I will continue to be a voice to the voiceless and in reaction I heard that Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu said my political career has come to an end. I want to say that Tinubu is no God. I fear only the God almighty, I fear no soul I only respect souls. So far my political journey to the House of Representatives and the Senate have no political, financial or moral contribution of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the God who has brought me this far is mighty, strong and enough to take me further, what God has given me no man can give and what God has given to me no man can take. I want to assure you that this is the true story of what transpired. It is falacious, malicious and a lie that I said I will impregnate Mrs Tinubu. Biologically it is even impossible to impregnate Mrs Tinubu because she has arrived menopause. If you also look at that statement for those of us who are intellectually mobile, how can you say you want to beat somebody and at the same time you want to impregnate the person if you juxtapose the two is there any correlation, does it make any logical sense. So, when they planted this falsehood they did not think deeply. I want to say that I will continue to uphold the culture the tradition, the values of the Kogi West Senatorial district and I will not abuse it. But it is absurd for a woman to look for her colleague and call him a thug and a dog when he has not personally addressed you. unfortunately I did not have the anointing to be quite when you are being insulted I replied accordingly. I repeat there is no reaction without an action. If she did not call me a dog or a thug there is no way I would have responded. I responded I have no regrets for responding and defending my person and if tomorrow or in the next 1hour, Senator Tinubu again called me any name I shall equally respond accordingly.

“On whether the Senate President was nodding in approval to support my response to Mrs Tinubu’s rants, my quick response to that is that those of you that understand the geography of the chamber. When we are addressing our colleagues in the chamber, the senate president as the chairman of the executive session is behind and you are backing him. When Mrs Oluremi Tinubu and myself were addressing our colleagues we were facing our colleagues while backing the senate president. So, she must be a special human being to have seen the senate president nodding behind her while we were addressing our colleagues because just like I am addressing you now except through diabolical means I cannot understand what is happening behind me and for those who know how gentlemanly our senate president is, how civil and cultured the president of the senate is how matured and very, very sociable our senate president is, you know he will not do such a thing.

“I will want to educate you that I had issues with my colleague and not with Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I read from the social media that senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu through his media aide is asking me to apologise I will not believe that a man of his caliber will ask for apology without hearing from both parties. But when I get confirmation that senator ahmed Bola Tinubu actually is the one asking me to apologise I will also address him accordingly.

“Like I said when I started this press briefing so to say I told you that naturally I shouldn’t have responded but it has become expedient because my name my personality, my character and integrity is at stake and there has being a lot of misinformation out there nobody ask why did Dino even react to Mrs Tinubu and nobody has reported what generated this whole crisis and I needed to clear the air. So what am doing is personal, it has nothing to do with the senate of the federal republic of Nigeria and I did not raise it on the floor because it is an executive session but where my name and integrity is on test I need to clear the air that I reacted to an action and that the malicious story circulating as a result of saharareporters publication is totally not true. For those who know me ever I say any where I will repeat. If i decided to say anything against the president of the federal republic of nigeria today I will not use a proxy name. I will do it and i think those who will bear me witness know that I confronted the Jonathan administration headlong I didn’t use proxy. I was on the street fighting for this democracy that we are enjoying today. I was on the street also and followed Mr President to all the states of the federation even when I had my own elections because we wanted a change.

Press Statement
July 2016.

Senator Dino Melaye denies instigating impeachment moves against President Muhammadu Buhari
Senator Representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the Red Chambers of the National Assembly and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye has debunked rumours doing the round about his involvement in some moves to impeach the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It is pertinent to note that the incredulously machinated misinformation was orchestrated by forces bent on destabilizing the upper chambers of the Nigerian Parliament for selfish reasons.
One of the mushroom and faceless online platform used to promote the ill-fated, calumnious write-up has been notorious for serving as the propagandist machinery of political commercialists who are pushing for the extension of their fiefdom to the National Assembly .
While I remain unimpeachably committed to the leadership of the Senate, I believe the respected arm of government charged with the onerous responsibility of law making should be given the independence to conduct its business.
It is untrue and malicious ; the narrative of the attack dogs of demagogues who have decided to turn Nigeria upside down for failing to choose leaders for Senators.
I am a responsible Nigerian, role model and a champion of anti-corruption and equity which my party stands for . I therefore urge the general public to discountenance the libellous publication as I will continue to respect the history, culture and excellence of my Kogi West people on the floor of the Senate.
The true threat to the current Republic are those who believe a Nigeria not led by them must not exist.
Thanks and God bless.
Signed
Sen. Dino Melaye

Press Statement
July 2016.

Senator Dino Melaye denies instigating impeachment moves against President Muhammadu Buhari
Senator Representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the Red Chambers of the National Assembly and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye has debunked rumours doing the round about his involvement in some moves to impeach the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It is pertinent to note that the incredulously machinated misinformation was orchestrated by forces bent on destabilizing the upper chambers of the Nigerian Parliament for selfish reasons.
One of the mushroom and faceless online platform used to promote the ill-fated, calumnious write-up has been notorious for serving as the propagandist machinery of political commercialists who are pushing for the extension of their fiefdom to the National Assembly .
While I remain unimpeachably committed to the leadership of the Senate, I believe the respected arm of government charged with the onerous responsibility of law making should be given the independence to conduct its business.
It is untrue and malicious ; the narrative of the attack dogs of demagogues who have decided to turn Nigeria upside down for failing to choose leaders for Senators.
I am a responsible Nigerian, role model and a champion of anti-corruption and equity which my party stands for . I therefore urge the general public to discountenance the libellous publication as I will continue to respect the history, culture and excellence of my Kogi West people on the floor of the Senate.
The true threat to the current Republic are those who believe a Nigeria not led by them must not exist.
Thanks and God bless.
Signed
Sen. Dino Melaye



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki’s closest ally and Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has unravelled the latest plot by the presidency, to doctor the Police report on the investigation of allegation of forgery, leveled against the leadership of the Senate.

Melaye, who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, FCT, alleged that the plan was aimed at indicting Saraki and his Deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

The Kogi West Senator in a statement circulated in Abuja, claimed that, “those behind the sinister plot, are scheming to forge a police report different from the one signed by DIG Dan’Azumi J. Doma, in order to justify and prove a case of forgery against the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President.

“We have our own sources and we have been reliably informed that the prosecution having realised that there is a big hole in their case against Saraki and Ekweremadu, who were not mentioned in the police report, are now trying to doctor the report and include the names of both presiding officers of the Senate

“We are aware of that development, and we want members of the public to know the level of desperation that these people are ready to go, to nail the Senate President and his Deputy”.

Unconfirmed sources have claimed that the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, may be part of those, seeking to oust Saraki from office.

The statement added: “It is because of this plan that they refused to include the police report in the process they filed in court.

“We have said it repeatedly that the government and specifically, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Abubakar Malami, has no case against our presiding officers.

“They filed the case to distract the two men, embarrass them, force a change of leadership and eventually cow the Senate, in particular, and the National Assembly, in general.

“The forgery case is the height of desperation by some elements, to bring down the legislature. Malami has a personal agenda to achieve an objective, for which he has been hired as a counsel by a few aggrieved Senators.

“Now, a court has affirmed our claim that he is abusing his office and that there is a conflict of interest involving him.

“The said police report is already in the public space. The media has published it verbatim. We will be watching them to see how they will smuggle Saraki and Ekweremadu’s names into it.

“This is the height of desperation and we will continue to monitor developments on it. It is clear those who initiated this forgery suit against the leadership of the Senate, know that they have made a mistake. They should cut their losses and discontinue the error.

“To think that they will now use forgery to justify a false case of forgery, further their abuse of the court process, as well as abuse of office, and think we will be looking at them, will not be possible.

“We will call on the courts to continue to play their role as the last resort for every man who wants justice at all times and in all circumstances”.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki’s closest ally and Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has unravelled the latest plot by the presidency, to doctor the Police report on the investigation of allegation of forgery, leveled against the leadership of the Senate.

Melaye, who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, FCT, alleged that the plan was aimed at indicting Saraki and his Deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

The Kogi West Senator in a statement circulated in Abuja, claimed that, “those behind the sinister plot, are scheming to forge a police report different from the one signed by DIG Dan’Azumi J. Doma, in order to justify and prove a case of forgery against the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President.

“We have our own sources and we have been reliably informed that the prosecution having realised that there is a big hole in their case against Saraki and Ekweremadu, who were not mentioned in the police report, are now trying to doctor the report and include the names of both presiding officers of the Senate

“We are aware of that development, and we want members of the public to know the level of desperation that these people are ready to go, to nail the Senate President and his Deputy”.

Unconfirmed sources have claimed that the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, may be part of those, seeking to oust Saraki from office.

The statement added: “It is because of this plan that they refused to include the police report in the process they filed in court.

“We have said it repeatedly that the government and specifically, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Abubakar Malami, has no case against our presiding officers.

“They filed the case to distract the two men, embarrass them, force a change of leadership and eventually cow the Senate, in particular, and the National Assembly, in general.

“The forgery case is the height of desperation by some elements, to bring down the legislature. Malami has a personal agenda to achieve an objective, for which he has been hired as a counsel by a few aggrieved Senators.

“Now, a court has affirmed our claim that he is abusing his office and that there is a conflict of interest involving him.

“The said police report is already in the public space. The media has published it verbatim. We will be watching them to see how they will smuggle Saraki and Ekweremadu’s names into it.

“This is the height of desperation and we will continue to monitor developments on it. It is clear those who initiated this forgery suit against the leadership of the Senate, know that they have made a mistake. They should cut their losses and discontinue the error.

“To think that they will now use forgery to justify a false case of forgery, further their abuse of the court process, as well as abuse of office, and think we will be looking at them, will not be possible.

“We will call on the courts to continue to play their role as the last resort for every man who wants justice at all times and in all circumstances”.

PMB, appears to lack the mental acuity and boldness to look beyond tribal and ethnic affiliations. He was hoisted to the Presidency by a popular mandate predicated on change, the rule of law, i.e. Due process and equanimity. However, his inability to increasingly steer clear of tribal, ethnic and primordial urgings in security as well as Bureaucratic appointments has cast him as a inchoate sectional leader. And one whose legacy shall forever be tainted if he fails to reflect Federal character; ethic diversity in his appointments. PMB, appears caged by a powerful cabal of Northern irredentists and xenophobes in his inner cabinet. Foremosts amongst these men are Lt General Abdurahim Dambazzau, the Hausa fulani, Minister of Internal Affairs. Who believes his role in Government is to further the Northern agenda. Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff, another ethnic misanthrope is evanescing the change mantra; platform, on which PMB, was elected.

• Constitutional lawyer says Executive breached constitution

Constitutional lawyer and elder statesman, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, has said it is not just the Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu who are on trial over forgery allegations but the entire Senate.

This is contrary to the position of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), David Babachir Lawal who had said only Saraki and Ekweremadu were on trial.

The two senior legislators and two others, including a former Clerk are facing criminal charges for allegedly forging the Senate’s Standing Rules in the build-up to the June 4, 2015 inauguration of the Senate and their emergence as principal officers.


While the SGF said individuals and not the Senate are on trial, Nwabueze disagreed, saying the entire Nigerian Senate is in the dock and that other senators should come out in solidarity with their leaders.

Nwabueze, a professor of Constitutional Law and former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, told The Guardian in Lagos that he was ‘provoked to come out’ from his ‘retirement’ and speak on the matter after reading Babachir’s comments.

While stressing that the prosecution of the leadership of the Senate in a court of law under the Executive amounts to use of coercive influence to interfere in the internal proceedings of the Senate, he said: “It is a flagrant breach of separation of powers caused by ignorance as can be seen in the incompetent statement by the AGF.”

He said the SGF was wrong in saying that the forgery case had nothing to do with separation of powers and that he has powers to initiate proceedings in any court of law.

Nwabueze argued that the Executive arm of government has contravened Section 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The constitutional lawyer also cited the U.S.’ Supreme Court in Humphrey v. United States (1934) thus: “The fundamental necessity of maintaining each of the three general departments of government entirely free from the control or coercive influence, direct or indirect, of either of the others, has often been stressed and is hardly open to serious question.
“So much is implied in the very fact of the separation of the powers of these departments by the constitution, and in the rule, which recognizes their essential co-equality. The sound application of a principle that makes one master in his own house precludes him from imposing his control in the house of another who is master there.
“The independence of each department requires that its proceedings ‘shall be free from the remotest influence, direct or indirect, of either of the other two powers.”

Nwabueze took a swipe at the SGF for asking Saraki and Ekwermadu to resign or face trial and for insisting that the Senate as an arm of government should be separated from its principal officers in the matter.

The senior lawyer said it would be absurd for government to interfere in an internal matter affecting an independent arm of government, especially as the Senate’s Standing Rules is not particularly a public document, only senators should be interested in it.


Describing the Senate as an abstraction, a legal person without a body, the constitutional lawyer said the Senate President and his deputy as the alter ego personify the ‘hallowed chamber’, just as a managing director is to his or her company.

He referred to the celebrated speech of Lord Haldane in Lennard’s Carrying Co. v. Asiatic Petroleum Co, Ltd in 1915 in which a company which owed a ship was seeking to take advantage of the limitation of liability under section 502 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1894.

The limitation was available only where the injury is caused without the owner’s “actual fault or privy.” The loss was as a result of the default of Lennard, its managing director and Viscount Haldane L.C delivered the judgment of the House in which he held the company liable, by saying that “a corporation is an abstraction with no mind of its own any more than it has a body of its own; its active and directing will must consequently be sought in the person of somebody who for some purposes may be called an agent, but who is really the directing mind and will of the corporation.”

In this article:
Ben Nwabueze
Bukola Saraki
David Babachir Lawal

Bukola Saraki
President of the Senate, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has urged Muslim faithful in the country to sustain the values and virtues which the holy month of Ramadan taught them in their day-to-day relationship with God and fellow human beings.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, in commemoration of this year’s Eid-el-Fitri also urged all Nigerians to remain steadfast and prayerful in the face of daunting socio-economic challenges.
He said that the present challenges are surmountable “if we all realign our character and deeds in tune with the wishes of Allah”. He stated that the country can only regain its lost glory when the citizenry uphold the virtues of good neighborliness and eschew intolerance of other people’s opinion, corruption, abuse of power, disregard for due process and disobedience to the laws of the lan


Saraki said: “I urge all Nigerians, across religious divide, to remain steadfast, prayerful and patriotic . The virtues of moderation, piety, regular supplication to Allah and being our brother’s keeper should subsist beyond the Ramadan. Beyond this, every Nigerian should seek to contribute to rebuilding the nation with renewed vigour.
“I also urge Boko Haram insurgents and other agents of destabilization across the country to retrace their steps and give peace a chance in the spirit of the Eid-el-fitri. Again, Nigerians who nurse one grudge or the other against the state should seek for legitimate and peaceful means of expressing their grievances so that it will be possible for their position to be better understood and addressed through constructive dialogue.
“Similarly, let us all refrain from using violence to express our stand on issues. Violence only destroy, it does not build. Let us also shun greed and other vices capable of undermining the socio-political growth of our dear nation,” he said.stain virtues learnt in Ramadan

Eid-el-Fitri: Saraki urges muslims to sustain virtues learnt in Ramadan
Bukola Saraki
President of the Senate, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has urged Muslim faithful in the country to sustain the values and virtues which the holy month of Ramadan taught them in their day-to-day relationship with God and fellow human beings.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, in commemoration of this year’s Eid-el-Fitri also urged all Nigerians to remain steadfast and prayerful in the face of daunting socio-economic challenges.
He said that the present challenges are surmountable “if we all realign our character and deeds in tune with the wishes of Allah”. He stated that the country can only regain its lost glory when the citizenry uphold the virtues of good neighborliness and eschew intolerance of other people’s opinion, corruption, abuse of power, disregard for due process and disobedience to the laws of the land.



Saraki said: “I urge all Nigerians, across religious divide, to remain steadfast, prayerful and patriotic . The virtues of moderation, piety, regular supplication to Allah and being our brother’s keeper should subsist beyond the Ramadan. Beyond this, every Nigerian should seek to contribute to rebuilding the nation with renewed vigour.
“I also urge Boko Haram insurgents and other agents of destabilization across the country to retrace their steps and give peace a chance in the spirit of the Eid-el-fitri. Again, Nigerians who nurse one grudge or the other against the state should seek for legitimate and peaceful means of expressing their grievances so that it will be possible for their position to be better understood and addressed through constructive dialogue.
“Similarly, let us all refrain from using violence to express our stand on issues. Violence only destroy, it does not build. Let us also shun greed and other vices capable of undermining the socio-political growth of our dear nation,” he said.

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BreakingNews: WAEC Says It Has No Records On Buhari [Letter Included

The West African Examination Council headquarters [located in Ghana] has disowned General Mohammed Buhari’s claim that he had sat for WAEC examination in 1961.

See Letter Below

buxx



WASC Certificate: Did Buhari Lie Under Oath To The INEC?





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“Boko Haram Intends To Hide Explosives Inside Cows and Goats” – FG

wAEC came on board and has the archives of WASC. Its head office is also in Ghana. Buhari should just be true and ask Cambridge to send a true copy of his certificate. Going for presidency without true qualification and lying about it is not just corruption but a big crime. 21 years awaits the culprit.



For those saying the letter is fake. Let Buhari prove us wrong and APPLY for his certificate if he really did pass those exams.

It’s a very simple matter. Why can’t he produce the evidence?


Hahah i cant understand dis. u mean daddy no go schl at all, go hide for bush breed cows rams. want come use primary six n his controversial awaiting waec result to rule me? It a pity




I believe a wealth of academics qualifications is not the ONLY criteria for electing a Leader. GMB supposedly possessed a WAEC and GEJ a Phd is never a point to be too consider so long February 14 is concerned. Am not for nor against any of the two presidential aspirant. However, if i should advice the PD P; when you over criticise an individual, it tells the world that there are better qualities in him you don’t want it to see nor appreciate
It doesn’t really matter what you “believe” about the true qualifications for presidential leadership this is a clearly prescribed constitutional matter.

Also, it speaks to his integrity; if Buhari lied then he’s not the man he says he is. Let’s re-evaluate his claim to incorruptibility before we vote him into the highest office in the land.


Joseph, when should we learn the importance of obeying rules? And this is the basis of our failure in Nigeria as a country. I mean if the law stipulates that the WAEC level is the standard, why shouldn’t we conform honorably?


The said letter quoted above did not emanate from the WAEC headquarters in Accra, Ghana but supposedly, from the National Office in Accra, Ghana. This can seen from the signature: it was signed “For: Head of National Office” and not “For: The Registrar. WAEC have two offices in Accra, Ghana. One is the National Office headed by the Head of National Office and the other is the Headquarters office headed by the Registrar. Why do you have to go to Ghana to obtain an information about a candidate for an examination he sat for in
This is a proof that buhari is not ready to rule this country. He had many years to prepare himself academically by going to study even from a private home tutor to aquire a certificate which would have become useful today but he chooses to rear cows. OBJ studied Gowon studied I am sure IBB also studied. This should be a lesson to everybody cos you never know where you’ll find yourself tomorrow, pls find time to STUDY. Even at age 74 sir (prof) Victor Uwaifo is still STUDYIN


niyi January 29, 2015 at 7:58 am -
Kaduna state governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has taken to Facebook to launch a rebuttal against the unflattering video documentary run by the AIT since Saturday. El-rufai wrote on his Facebook page



why are we eating ourselves up over nothing.Buhari is stil alive he should defend him self.but if you shoul ask of my opinion on certificate matter,I will tell that there is foul play by Buhari


S.O January 28, 2015 at 9:55 pm -
pls my fellow Nigerians let be reasonable for once why Buhari just requested for his certificate over 50yrs ago. if the result is authentic there won’t much noise about the so certificate. It is a pity that is only Nigeria we won’t say the truth because of what want or eat that could backfire later than sooner. I pity this generation.. God Bless Nigeria


bob January 28, 2015 at 6:45 pm -
Now, it is not the fact that there is an affidavit that is the issue, but the claims made in it by Buhari. Under oath, he claimed that all his certificates are with the Secretary to the Military Board. This man has been contesting the presidency for 12 years now and has in the course of that been filling INEC forms, but a little change in the requirements for this year requires he shows evidence of qualification for the first time, which is why he had to swear the affidavit. It’s noteworthy that of all the presidential aspirants from all the parties contesting the election, only Buhari has no certificate to show as required. Only Buhari had cause to swear an affidavit.



Felix:

Igbo are Nigerians, you knuckle head. What is Igbo got to do with this? You, whether you are Igbo, Yoruba, or Hausa have to be in the hunt





Marvin January 28, 2015 at 8:01 pm -
The purpoted Cambridge response is fake. It is possible this one is also fake. Cambridge will never respond to any enquiry by anybody except the person who can identify and prove they are the person in question. Anyway, no matter how we like to twist this story, one thing is needed, attempt to provide a certified true copy from WAEC not any school principal (who even refused on Channels TV to confirm if the result is from the school. Our country will never survive if we so much as allow someone with question mark on his qualifications to contest. It will breed anarchy


abdullahi suleiman January 29, 2015 at 12:02 pm -
Den y is it that is only d igbos tht r so against buhari, despite gej incompetency n obviouse weakness, luk, w want d progress of ds nation n gej has made his gestures of incapability, period.


blakseries January 28, 2015 at 8:22 pm -
Felix u r an idiot…..fool


dave January 29, 2015 at 9:46 pm -
What re u saying? That because the ibos turn will come by 2027, they should leave an unfit man to rule them? Buhari is a disgrace to the position he occupies, he sits there since 1984 he left office and never developed himself but only had his eyes on the throne. Fo me, anyone who must rule us, must have studied hard and has what it takes to lead the educated not some old-ideal-bereaved-man, who wants power but is not trained for it.


dave January 29, 2015 at 9:46 pm -
What re u saying? That because the ibos turn will come by 2027, they should leave an unfit man to rule them? Buhari is a disgrace to the position he seek, he sits there since 1984 he left office and never developed himself but only had his eyes on the throne. Fo me, anyone who must rule us, must have studied hard and has what it takes to lead the educated not some old-ideal-bereaved-man, who wants power but is not trained for

BreakingNews: WAEC Says It Has No Records On Buhari
The West African Examination Council headquarters [located in Ghana] has disowned General Mohammed Buhari’s claim that he had sat for WAEC examination in 1961.

WASC Certificate: Did Buhari Lie Under Oath To The INEC?

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The President MUST READ this !!!!

BUHARI PRACTICES NEPOTISM, SAYS JUNAID MOHAMMED


* Alleges President’s relatives dictate Aso Rock policy

By Ishaya Ibrahim
Acting News Editor (26/06/16)

Muhammadu Buhari’s relatives are the ones dictating policy in Aso Rock for 170 million Nigerians, adding nepotism to the festering allegation of narrow mindedness levelled against the president, who critics say surrounds himself with Northerners in running national affairs.

Junaid Mohammed, radical politician and Second Republic lawmaker, named at least seven relatives of the president who are the power behind the throne in the Villa – apart from the heads of all vital security agencies who are from the from the North.

In a telephone interview with TheNiche from his base in Kano, Mohammed accused Buhari of giving key positions to his cousins, nephews, and in-laws, and is therefore guilty of the corruption he is trying to fight.

Mohammed, a virulent critic of former President Goodluck Jonathan, and originally a supporter of Buhari, said nepotism compromises Buhari’s ability to rule the country well, fight corruption, and deal with rogue lawmakers who pose a threat to his administration.
News

His words: “As far as I am concerned, nothing will come by way of contention with the National Assembly (NASS) and the executive branch, because both of them have a mindset which is completely antithetical to democracy.

“Both the president, particularly his principal adviser, his nephew, one nonentity called Mamman Daura; then the Chief of Staff [Abba Kyari], who in fact was brought up by Mamman Daura; and the scoundrel who is the Secretary to the Government of Federation [Babachir David], including most of the incompetent ministers, are not cut out to work harmoniously in a political environment with the legislature.

“On the legislative side, they want to continue business as usual; that will mean impunity, blackmail, open corruption to extort money from ministries, departments and agencies of federal and state governments, because they did not come into politics to serve. “They came to make money. That is the basic fact.

“You can see why it is impossible for anybody, no matter how reasonable, to work with the National Assembly, especially the Senate, because unless you are prepared to open up the national treasury and offer it to them, there is going to be no peace between the executive branch and them.

“And of course, there is the unfortunate, additional bad luck of Buhari being surrounded by his own relations who are not politicians. They are not even members of the APC (All Progressives Congress) but dictate policy, especially Mamman Daura. So I can see no peace, I can see no cooperation, and God save Nigeria.”

* Buhari’s relatives calling shots in Aso Rock

Mohammed said Buhari must apply the law equitably and justly in his fight against corruption and insurgents such as Boko Haram and Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).
“He has to do that, and listen more to Nigerians, and not this arrogant posture, and the crooks he appointed into cabinet.

“But unfortunately, for the country and for Buhari’s legacy himself, he has packed the government, and especially the Presidency, which is really the centre of power, and made it top heavy with his own relations.

“There are many people who are his own cousins in the Presidency. In my own understanding of history and politics, this is what you call nepotism. And if you are against corruption, you cannot be nepotistic.

“So it is really a contradiction for Buhari to have, for example a nephew of his, the son of his elder sister as the Minister of Water Resources [Hadi Sirika].

“He has another niece of his, the elder sister of [Sirika], who is now a national commissioner in the INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission), Amina Zakari.

“They are trying to bury their tracks. But Buhari nominated her even before he became president when Jonathan asked him to nominate somebody to represent the North West (in INEC) and he chose that woman.

“And then this nonentity, Mamman Daura, virtually runs the government. He has a veto power. There have been instances when Buhari gave written approval for things to be done, and that man went and stymied, threw the paper away.

“He has become such a tyrant in the Presidency. He is a nephew to Buhari. His father is the elder brother of Buhari, even though the (age) difference between them is about three years, his father is an elder brother to Buhari and they grew up together.

“[Abba Kyari] was brought up by Mamman Daura. His father left him with Mamman Daura to go to Borno, his original state where he was a village head.

“And for all intents and purposes, he is a son of Mamman Daura. He is now the chief of staff to Buhari. His name is Abba Kyari.

“Then [Kabir Daura] the personal assistant to Buhari himself, is the son of Mamman Daura.
“And the girl [Aisha Abubakar] who was picked out of nowhere from Sokoto. She is not a member of the APC. She has nothing to do with anybody.

“She was picked and made a minister by Mamman Daura and Buhari because her mother is the younger sister of Mamman Daura’s wife.
“And then the ADC (Aide de Camp) to Buhari is married to the granddaughter of Buhari’s elder sister. His name is Colonel Lawan Abubakar.
“Now with this bloody mess and this disarray and terrible scandal, how can Buhari hope to keep the country in check, and fight corruption and the terrorists?

“It can’t be done; because to fight corruption, you must be above board. You must be absolutely in the clear. You don’t go underground to appoint your nephews and say you are being smart. He is just being smart by half.

“These are the core problems of Buhari and not the National Assembly. The National Assembly can be dealt with if he is absolutely above board, and if they know they have nothing on him or his nephews, cousins, and many of his relations who are now institutionalised in the government and in the most important part of government, the Presidency.

“And that explains some of the statements [former President Olusegun] Obasanjo has been making, metaphorical statements.

“He said corruption always begins in the Presidency. He was referring to Buhari’s presidency.

“Because when Obasanjo was in power himself and Atiku (Abubakar), they were accused of being corrupt and the world media said corruption always began in the presidency. So nobody should fool us.

* Alleged sleaze in Buhari’s kitchen cabinet

Mohammed stressed that Buhari is not corrupt but many of his relations are suspects in corruption scandals.

“Only four days ago (June 20), Sahara Reporters – and it has not been denied – said a company called Sahara Energy is lifting crude oil in the name of both Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari.
“What is interesting about the company is that it used to be owned by the boyfriends of Diezani [Alison-Maduekwe, former petroleum minister] and she used to give them very generous crude oil lifting contracts.

“Sadly, in this government, which is supposed to be anti anything that Diezani stands for, we have Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari being mentioned by an internet newspaper as using the same company in lifting crude oil.

“Now the question is who is fooling who? Are we being told that Diezani’s former boyfriends, Omokore and Aluko, have moved on, and in their place is Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari? What is happening?

Mohammed also wondered why Buhari despite the corruption scandal of the last administration, allowed Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefile, who was a member of the last administration, to remain in office.

“And throughout this serious scandals of corruption, the source of the monetary scandal has been only two places.

“One is the Central Bank because it was from the Central Bank the money was being taken either to the office of the National Security Adviser [Sambo Dasuki] or to PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) headquarters or to certain individuals.
“But it was always from the Central Bank.

“Buhari himself said at the beginning of his term that he had evidence and knows there was a time when [Emefiele] picked a piece of paper and wrote and instructed that N14 billion should be withdrawn from the Central Bank, and the N14 billion was withdrawn.

“Yet that man, under Buhari is still the governor of the Central Bank. Buhari has not sacked him, and Buhari is now more than one year in office. The question is that who is the power behind the governor of the Central Bank?

“The other source of money is the money from the NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) because the NNPC has several accounts, most of them in foreign currencies: dollars, euros, yuan, pounds sterling.

“After Diezani left, I don’t know on whose advice Buhari picked some innocuous, incompetent, irresponsible Igbo man from Delta State [Ibe Kachikwu] and appointed him minister of state for petroleum. But in actual fact, he runs the ministry on day-to-day basis.

“In addition, this man was also appointed by the same Buhari, who is supposed to know the industry well, as the managing director of the NNPC. “And because Nigerians don’t know or don’t care to know or maybe they are not interested, the position of the MD of the NNPC is a civil service appointment for technocrats and what have you.

“But a ministerial appointment, whether a senior or junior minister, is a political appointment.
“How Buhari decided in his arrogance to combine the job of the MD and the minister in one man whom nobody has ever heard of and gave him those positions, is a mystery to us. Who again is the power behind this man?

“To add insult to injury, the Igbo now started shouting that they have not been given what they call lucrative appointments.

“They have the Central Bank, where most of the money come from, they have the minister of petroleum, and then the MD of the NNPC.
“They have their normal slots of ministerial appointments. And they are still shouting that they have not been given lucrative appointments.

“And Buhari is quiet, apparently he is under pressure from some people, particularly the Mamman Dauras and some of the rogues and scoundrels who are always around whenever somebody is in government. Now this is the tragedy of Nigeria today.

“Buhari is performing marginally in the fight against terrorism, particularly Boko Haram terrorism. He is doing nothing, in fact what he is doing in the South South is appeasement, open and shameful appeasement in the Niger Delta.

“It shows that even among Nigerians, some are more equal than others, according to Buhari’s government.

* Abba Kyari sits on Magu’s confirmation letter

Mohammed said although Buhari has been making progress in the fight against corruption, the credit for that effort goes to acting EFCC Chairman, Mustapha Magu, and not really the presidency.

He was appointed on November 9, 2015 and has still not been confirmed.
“These are the boys [EFCC personnel] who are doing the job and they are doing it very well.
“In fact they are doing it so well that Mamman Daura, Abba Kyari and Babachir David and some other people around Buhari are determined to get rid of Mustapha Magu because he took on this mysterious Sahara Energy Oil Company and froze the account.

“The directors of the company include Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari. That is why they are now after the EFCC, particularly the chairman.
“Magu has been on acting appointment since Buhari came. Buhari has for months given approval for his situation to be regularised to be made permanent chairman. Abba Kyari has been sitting on the paper for over three months.

“Buhari cannot tell him to submit the paper. So who is ruling us?
Mohammed argued that in a democracy, the likes of Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari should not be given the right to take decision.
“They have no mandate. None of them has ever won an election in his life. I knew in 1979 when we were going to the National Assembly, Mamman Daura wanted to be a senator for the area east of Katsina which include Daura.

“Because Daura itself is too small a village and too small a district to provide a senator, they had to cut a portion of eastern Katsina to merge with it.

“The people of Katsina said ‘we understand your situation. You are minority in Katsina and the old Kaduna State. We would vote for you en masse, but don’t bring Mamman Daura.

‘“Anybody in the whole of the area, yes, but not Mamman Daura. We don’t want any member of the Kaduna Mafia in the National Assembly or in any forum in Nigeria to represent us.’
“And that was how Mamman Daura was thrown out and a friend of mine called Abba Ali became the senator from that area.

“Now this is the same Mamman Daura who is exercising so much power simply because his uncle Buhari is the president.

“Nigerians should start asking the correct questions instead of messing themselves up using tribalism and religion and other nonsense.”

Buhari practises nepotism, says Junaid Mohammed - http://www.thenicheng.com/buhari-practises-nepotism-says-junaid-mohammed/
(Courtesy Aminu Iyawa)



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Saraki, Ekweremadu Warn Their Trial is Dangerous, Poses Threat to Democracy
June 28, 2016 101 15464

Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki and his Deputy Ike Ekweremadu during their trial for Forgery at the Federal High Court Federal Capital Territory in Abuja... . momday. Photo: Kingsley Adeboye


26
Senate president says he’s ready to go to jail, Buhari controlled by cabal
President is no one’s stooge, presidency responds
Tobi Soniyi, Omololu Ogunmade and Alex Enumah in Abuja

Following their arraignment at an Abuja High Court monday on allegations of forging the Senate Standing Orders, 2015, Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, in separate emotionally-laden statements both declared their innocence and excoriated the executive for using the apparatus of the state to ride roughshod over the Senate over its choice of leadership.

Others arraigned alongside the leaders of the Senate included a former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and Deputy Clerk, Benedict Efeturi. All four were granted bail under terms spelt out by the court.



Saraki, in a statement he personally signed, said he would fight the current battles confronting him to the end and would be glad to end up in jail rather than surrender the leadership of the Senate to the “nefarious agenda of a few individuals”.

He also claimed that there was a government within the government of the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, which had seized the apparatus of executive powers to pursue their nefarious agenda.

But in a swift riposte, the presidency yesterday dismissed the Senate President’s allegation, stating that to claim Buhari was anybody’s stooge “is not only ridiculous, but also preposterous”.

Saraki accused those behind his arraignment as enemies who want to desecrate the Senate and subvert democracy.

“I will remain true and committed to the responsibilities that my citizenship and my office impose on me. Without doubt, the highest of those responsibilities is the steadfast refusal to surrender to the subversion of our democracy and the desecration of the Senate.

“This is a cross I am prepared to carry. If yielding to the nefarious agenda of a few individuals who are bent on undermining our democracy and destabilising the federal government to satisfy their selfish interests is the alternative to losing my personal freedom, let the doors of jails be thrown open and I shall be a happy guest,” he said.

He proclaimed his innocence of the alleged forgery and described the charges as nothing but a violation of the principle of separation of powers as well as another desperate move in the persistent persecution of the Senate leadership.

Saraki described the action of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who charged him and others to court over alleged forgery as misguided.

Justifying his claim that there was another government within the government of President Buhari, Saraki said the government had continued to chase the leaders of the Senate instead of addressing the myriad of crises confronting the nation.

“Today, we the leaders of the Nigerian Senate reiterate our innocence against the charges filed by the Attorney General of the Federal Government of Nigeria at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on the allegations of forgery of the Senate Standing Rules document.

“In our view, the charges filed by the Attorney General represent a violation of the principle of the separation of powers between the executive branch and the legislative branch as enshrined in our constitution.

“Furthermore, it is farcical to allege that a criminal act occurred during Senate procedural actions and the mere suggestion demonstrates a desperate overreach by the office of the Attorney General.

“These trumped up charges are only another phase in the relentless persecution of the leadership of the Senate.

“This misguided action by the Attorney General begs the question, how does this promote the public interest and benefit the nation? At a time when the whole of government should be working together to meet Nigeria’s many challenges, we are once again distracted by the executive branch’s inability to move beyond a leadership election among Senate peers. It was not an election of Senate peers and executive branch participants.

“Over the past year, the Senate has worked to foster good relations with the executive branch. It is in all of our collective interests to put aside divisions and get on with the nation’s business.

“We risk alienating and losing the support of the very people who have entrusted their national leaders to seek new and creative ways to promote a secure and prosperous Nigeria.

“As leaders and patriots, it is time to rise above partisanship and to move forward together.

“However, it has become clear that there is now a government within the government of President Buhari which has seized the apparatus of executive powers to pursue their nefarious agenda.

“This latest onslaught on the legislature represents a clear and present danger to the democracy Nigerians fought hard to win and preserve. The suit filed on behalf of the federal government suggests that perhaps some forces in the Federal Republic have not fully embraced the fact that the Senate’s rules and procedures govern how the legislative body adjudicates and resolves its own disputes.

“Let it be abundantly clear, both as a citizen and as a foremost legislator, I will continue to rise above all the persecution and distraction that have been visited on me.

“In the words of Martin Luther King Junior, ‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at a time of challenge and controversy’,” Saraki said.

In another statement, Ekweremadu advised those in power not to use the law as an instrument to “bludgeon innocent citizens into submitting to the untamed wishes and caprices of witch-hunters”.

Speaking after his arraignment yesterday, the Deputy Senate President expressed confidence that his trial would afford Nigerians to see clearly that the charges proferred against him were “nothing but meretricious thrash”, adding that democracy was not military rule.

He said: “For me, I find great comfort in the immortal words of late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who said that ‘history will vindicate the just and the wicked will not go unpunished’.”

Insisting that his trial was political and could endanger democracy, he further added: “Let us make no mistake about this: it is not Senator Ike Ekweremadu or Senator Bukola Saraki or the other accused persons that are on trial; rather the hallowed democratic principles of the separation of powers, rule of law, the legislature, and indeed democracy itself are on a ridiculous trial.

“Mere anarchy is unleashed upon the land, but our courage must not fall apart. No condition is permanent and nothing lasts forever.”

He stated that as a law-abiding citizen and a firm believer in the rule of law and all the rights and privileges it advertises, “it is only in my place not to commit a crime, but way out of my reach not to be accused of one, especially when the instruments of power become apparatuses for oppression of the innocent and voices of opposition”.

He added: “Indeed, I, in no way or fashion claim to be above the law, just that I believe that the law should not be used as an instrument to bludgeon innocent citizens into submitting to the untamed wishes and caprices of witch-hunters.

“However, I put my trust in God, the court, and the overwhelming solidarity of the good people of Nigeria. When the dust settles, Nigerians will see clearly that this charge is nothing but meretricious thrash. Time, occasions, and provocations like this will teach their own lessons.

“I hope that one chief lesson will be that democracy differs markedly from military rule and that public officers should never subvert the foundations of democracy by prioritising the rule of man over the rule of law.”

However, in reaction to Saraki’s allegation that there was a government within the administration, the president’s media aide, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the Senate President’s claim would have been worth its while if it had been backed with more information.

Adesina, in a statement, said: “If he had proceeded to identify those who constitute the ‘government within the government’, it would have taken the issue beyond the realm of fiction and mere conjecture.

“But as it stands, the allegation is not even worth the paper on which it was written, as anybody can wake from troubled sleep, and say anything.”

Adesina said it was within the constitutional powers of the AGF as the Chief Law Officer of state to determine who had infringed upon the law, and who had not.

He pointed out that: “Pretending to carry an imaginary cross is mere obfuscation, if indeed, a criminal act has been committed. But we leave the courts to judge.

“To claim that President Muhammadu Buhari is anybody’s stooge is not only ridiculous, but also preposterous. It is not in the character of our president.”

Earlier yesterday, Saraki, Ekweremadu, Maikasuwa and Efeturi were granted bail by Justice Yusuf Halilu of an Abuja High Court.

They were arraigned on a two-count charge of forgery and conspiracy to commit forgery. All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges and were consequently admitted to bail while trial was adjourned to July 11.

The four defendants were put on trial by the federal government on the allegation of forging the Senate rules used on June 9 last year to conduct the elections through which Saraki and Ekwerenmadu emerged Senate President and Deputy Senate President, respectively.

Shortly after the charges were read to them, they pleaded not guilty, prompting their lawyers Mr. Ikechukwu Ezechukwu (SAN) for Maikasuwa, Mahmud Magaji (SAN) for Efeturi, Paul Erokoro (SAN) for Saraki and Joseph Daudu (SAN) for Ekwerenmadu, to move applications for bail for the defendants.

Justice Halilu, after taking arguments from the counsel, admitted all of them to bail with two sureties each who must be Nigerians, male or female, and who must have landed properties either in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse or Apo Legislative Quarters to be able to qualify to stand as sureties in the matter.

The judge, in his ruling, held that Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution presumed the defendants innocent of the charges preferred against them and that it was normal and natural for them to be allowed on bail so as to prepare for their defence.

The judge took judicial notice of the positions of the defendants, adding that there was nothing by way of evidence to suggest that they would jump bail if allowed to go home.

Justice Halilu noted that the essence of bail was for the defendants, who were presumed innocent by law, to ensure their attendance in court throughout their trial and that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) also lends support for bail for any Nigerian accused of bailable offences as in the instant case.

The judge however said that in the event that any of the defendants is unable to comply with the bail conditions, they should be remanded in Kuje Prison pending the time they would meet the bail conditions.

By press time, Maikasuwa had complied with the bail conditions and had left the court premises.

The Senate President and his deputy obviously had no difficulties fulfilling the bail conditions, but chose to wait for the other accused persons to perfect their bail.

Earlier, counsel to the federal government, who is also the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Mr. Mohammed Diri, had told the court that he had no opposition to Saraki’s bail on the grounds that he was the President of the Senate and did not want to cripple the activities of the Senate.

Diri, however, vehemently opposed Ekwerenmadu, Maikasuwa and Efeturi’s bail on the grounds that they were likely to evade trial, having allegedly evaded the service of the charges preferred against them.

The prosecution told the court that if convicted, the three defendants were likely to be jailed for 14 years and that because of the gravity of the punishment, the court should be cautious in granting them bail.

Erokoro, while moving a bail application for Saraki, told the court that apart from the charges, Saraki’s name was never mentioned, either in the proof of evidence or in the police report, adding that he had not in any way been linked to the alleged offence of conspiracy and forgery.

Erokoro further argued that no attempt was made by the prosecution to serve Saraki with the charge in question as required by law and that Saraki has been standing trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on other charges for almost a year and had never absented himself once at the tribunal.

He urged the court to grant Saraki bail on self-recognition or under liberal terms because as the Senate President, he was too big to run away in order to evade trial.

However, Chief Daudu (SAN), who was representing Ekwerenmadu, urged the court to note that the DPPF had no objection to the other three defendants on the grounds that they were charged with the same offence as Saraki.

Daudu told the court that he understood the political language of the DPPF on Ekwerenmadu, adding however that “what is good for the goose is also good for the gander”.

He also dismissed the insinuation by the prosecution that the three other defendants evaded service of the summons, adding that there was no affidavit of evidence to that effect before the court and that the insinuation should be regarded as mere speculation.

Other lawyers argued along the same lines with Daudu in their submissions for the bail of their clients.

The trial attracted 30 senators, dozens of reporters and supporters from across the country.

Owing to the multitude that turned up for the arraignment, the courtroom was overcrowded as supporters and journalists struggled to follow the trial.

At some point, the judge was forced to adjourn so that the security personnel could empty the courtroom of the crowd that had turned up.

Seeing that the senators who had accompanied Saraki and Ekweremadu were not willing to budge, the police turned on reporters asking them to leave the courtroom.Exe

Press Statement: His Excellency, the President of Senate, Nigeria National Assembly
Dr. Bukola Saraki
June 27, 2016

Abuja, Nigeria, June 27---Today we the leaders of the Nigerian Senate reiterate our innocence against the charges filed by the Attorney General of the Federal Government of Nigeria at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on the allegations of forgery of the Senate Standing Rules document.

In our view, the charges filed by the Attorney General represent a violation of the principle of the Separation of Powers between the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch as enshrined in our Constitution. Furthermore, it is farcical to allege that a criminal act occurred during Senate procedural actions and the mere suggestion demonstrates a desperate overreach by the office of the Attorney General. These trumped up charges is only another phase in the relentless persecution of the leadership of the Senate

This misguided action by the Attorney General begs the question, how does this promote the public interest and benefit the nation? At a time when the whole of government should be working together to meet Nigeria’s many challenges, we are once again distracted by the Executive Branch’s inability to move beyond a leadership election among Senate peers. It was not an election of Senate peers and Executive Branch participants.

Over the past year the Senate has worked to foster good relations with the Executive Branch. It is in all of our collective interests to put aside divisions and get on with the nation’s business. We risk alienating and losing the support of the very people who have entrusted their national leaders to seek new and creative ways to promote a secure and prosperous Nigeria. As leaders and patriots, it is time to rise above partisanship and to move forward together.

However, what has become clear is that there is now a government within the government of President Buhari who have seized the apparatus of Executive powers to pursue their nefarious agenda.

This latest onslaught on the Legislature represents a clear and present danger to the democracy Nigerians fought hard to win and preserve. The suit filed on behalf of the Federal government suggests that perhaps some forces in the Federal Republic have not fully embraced the fact that the Senate’s rules and procedures govern how the legislative body adjudicates and resolves its own disputes.

Let it be abundantly clear, both as a citizen and as a foremost Legislator, I will continue to rise above all the persecution and distraction that have been visited on me. In the words of Martin Luther King Junior, “the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at a time of challenge and controversy”.

I will remain true and committed to the responsibilities that my citizenship and my office impose on me. Without doubt, the highest of those responsibilities is the steadfast refusal to surrender to the subversion of our democracy and the desecration of the Senate. This is a cross I am prepared to carry. If yielding to the nefarious agenda of a few individuals who are bent in undermining our democracy and destabilising the Federal government to satisfy their selfish interests is the alternative to losing my personal freedom, let the doors of jails be thrown open and I shall be a happy guest.



Signed
Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON
President, Senate of the Federal Republic


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Saraki, Ekweremadu Warn Their Trial is Dangerous, Poses Threat to Democracy
June 28, 2016 0 175

Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki and his Deputy Ike Ekweremadu during their trial for Forgery at the Federal High Court Federal Capital Territory in Abuja... . momday. Photo: Kingsley Adeboye


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Senate president says he’s ready to go to jail, Buhari controlled by cabal
President is no one’s stooge, presidency responds
Tobi Soniyi, Omololu Ogunmade and Alex Enumah in Abuja

Following their arraignment at an Abuja High Court monday on allegations of forging the Senate Standing Orders, 2015, Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, in separate emotionally-laden statements both declared their innocence and excoriated the executive for using the apparatus of the state to ride roughshod over the Senate over its choice of leadership.

Others arraigned alongside the leaders of the Senate included a former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and Deputy Clerk, Benedict Efeturi. All four were granted bail under terms spelt out by the court.



Saraki, in a statement he personally signed, said he would fight the current battles confronting him to the end and would be glad to end up in jail rather than surrender the leadership of the Senate to the “nefarious agenda of a few individuals”.

He also claimed that there was a government within the government of the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, which had seized the apparatus of executive powers to pursue their nefarious agenda.

But in a swift riposte, the presidency yesterday dismissed the Senate President’s allegation, stating that to claim Buhari was anybody’s stooge “is not only ridiculous, but also preposterous”.

Saraki accused those behind his arraignment as enemies who want to desecrate the Senate and subvert democracy.

“I will remain true and committed to the responsibilities that my citizenship and my office impose on me. Without doubt, the highest of those responsibilities is the steadfast refusal to surrender to the subversion of our democracy and the desecration of the Senate.

“This is a cross I am prepared to carry. If yielding to the nefarious agenda of a few individuals who are bent on undermining our democracy and destabilising the federal government to satisfy their selfish interests is the alternative to losing my personal freedom, let the doors of jails be thrown open and I shall be a happy guest,” he said.

He proclaimed his innocence of the alleged forgery and described the charges as nothing but a violation of the principle of separation of powers as well as another desperate move in the persistent persecution of the Senate leadership.

Saraki described the action of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who charged him and others to court over alleged forgery as misguided.

Justifying his claim that there was another government within the government of President Buhari, Saraki said the government had continued to chase the leaders of the Senate instead of addressing the myriad of crises confronting the nation.

“Today, we the leaders of the Nigerian Senate reiterate our innocence against the charges filed by the Attorney General of the Federal Government of Nigeria at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on the allegations of forgery of the Senate Standing Rules document.

“In our view, the charges filed by the Attorney General represent a violation of the principle of the separation of powers between the executive branch and the legislative branch as enshrined in our constitution.

“Furthermore, it is farcical to allege that a criminal act occurred during Senate procedural actions and the mere suggestion demonstrates a desperate overreach by the office of the Attorney General.

“These trumped up charges are only another phase in the relentless persecution of the leadership of the Senate.

“This misguided action by the Attorney General begs the question, how does this promote the public interest and benefit the nation? At a time when the whole of government should be working together to meet Nigeria’s many challenges, we are once again distracted by the executive branch’s inability to move beyond a leadership election among Senate peers. It was not an election of Senate peers and executive branch participants.

“Over the past year, the Senate has worked to foster good relations with the executive branch. It is in all of our collective interests to put aside divisions and get on with the nation’s business.

“We risk alienating and losing the support of the very people who have entrusted their national leaders to seek new and creative ways to promote a secure and prosperous Nigeria.

“As leaders and patriots, it is time to rise above partisanship and to move forward together.

“However, it has become clear that there is now a government within the government of President Buhari which has seized the apparatus of executive powers to pursue their nefarious agenda.

“This latest onslaught on the legislature represents a clear and present danger to the democracy Nigerians fought hard to win and preserve. The suit filed on behalf of the federal government suggests that perhaps some forces in the Federal Republic have not fully embraced the fact that the Senate’s rules and procedures govern how the legislative body adjudicates and resolves its own disputes.

“Let it be abundantly clear, both as a citizen and as a foremost legislator, I will continue to rise above all the persecution and distraction that have been visited on me.

“In the words of Martin Luther King Junior, ‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at a time of challenge and controversy’,” Saraki said.

In another statement, Ekweremadu advised those in power not to use the law as an instrument to “bludgeon innocent citizens into submitting to the untamed wishes and caprices of witch-hunters”.

Speaking after his arraignment yesterday, the Deputy Senate President expressed confidence that his trial would afford Nigerians to see clearly that the charges proferred against him were “nothing but meretricious thrash”, adding that democracy was not military rule.

He said: “For me, I find great comfort in the immortal words of late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who said that ‘history will vindicate the just and the wicked will not go unpunished’.”

Insisting that his trial was political and could endanger democracy, he further added: “Let us make no mistake about this: it is not Senator Ike Ekweremadu or Senator Bukola Saraki or the other accused persons that are on trial; rather the hallowed democratic principles of the separation of powers, rule of law, the legislature, and indeed democracy itself are on a ridiculous trial.

“Mere anarchy is unleashed upon the land, but our courage must not fall apart. No condition is permanent and nothing lasts forever.”

He stated that as a law-abiding citizen and a firm believer in the rule of law and all the rights and privileges it advertises, “it is only in my place not to commit a crime, but way out of my reach not to be accused of one, especially when the instruments of power become apparatuses for oppression of the innocent and voices of opposition”.

He added: “Indeed, I, in no way or fashion claim to be above the law, just that I believe that the law should not be used as an instrument to bludgeon innocent citizens into submitting to the untamed wishes and caprices of witch-hunters.

“However, I put my trust in God, the court, and the overwhelming solidarity of the good people of Nigeria. When the dust settles, Nigerians will see clearly that this charge is nothing but meretricious thrash. Time, occasions, and provocations like this will teach their own lessons.

“I hope that one chief lesson will be that democracy differs markedly from military rule and that public officers should never subvert the foundations of democracy by prioritising the rule of man over the rule of law.”

However, in reaction to Saraki’s allegation that there was a government within the administration, the president’s media aide, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the Senate President’s claim would have been worth its while if it had been backed with more information.

Adesina, in a statement, said: “If he had proceeded to identify those who constitute the ‘government within the government’, it would have taken the issue beyond the realm of fiction and mere conjecture.

“But as it stands, the allegation is not even worth the paper on which it was written, as anybody can wake from troubled sleep, and say anything.”

Adesina said it was within the constitutional powers of the AGF as the Chief Law Officer of state to determine who had infringed upon the law, and who had not.

He pointed out that: “Pretending to carry an imaginary cross is mere obfuscation, if indeed, a criminal act has been committed. But we leave the courts to judge.

“To claim that President Muhammadu Buhari is anybody’s stooge is not only ridiculous, but also preposterous. It is not in the character of our president.”

Earlier yesterday, Saraki, Ekweremadu, Maikasuwa and Efeturi were granted bail by Justice Yusuf Halilu of an Abuja High Court.

They were arraigned on a two-count charge of forgery and conspiracy to commit forgery. All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges and were consequently admitted to bail while trial was adjourned to July 11.

The four defendants were put on trial by the federal government on the allegation of forging the Senate rules used on June 9 last year to conduct the elections through which Saraki and Ekwerenmadu emerged Senate President and Deputy Senate President, respectively.

Shortly after the charges were read to them, they pleaded not guilty, prompting their lawyers Mr. Ikechukwu Ezechukwu (SAN) for Maikasuwa, Mahmud Magaji (SAN) for Efeturi, Paul Erokoro (SAN) for Saraki and Joseph Daudu (SAN) for Ekwerenmadu, to move applications for bail for the defendants.

Justice Halilu, after taking arguments from the counsel, admitted all of them to bail with two sureties each who must be Nigerians, male or female, and who must have landed properties either in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse or Apo Legislative Quarters to be able to qualify to stand as sureties in the matter.

The judge, in his ruling, held that Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution presumed the defendants innocent of the charges preferred against them and that it was normal and natural for them to be allowed on bail so as to prepare for their defence.

The judge took judicial notice of the positions of the defendants, adding that there was nothing by way of evidence to suggest that they would jump bail if allowed to go home.

Justice Halilu noted that the essence of bail was for the defendants, who were presumed innocent by law, to ensure their attendance in court throughout their trial and that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) also lends support for bail for any Nigerian accused of bailable offences as in the instant case.

The judge however said that in the event that any of the defendants is unable to comply with the bail conditions, they should be remanded in Kuje Prison pending the time they would meet the bail conditions.

By press time, Maikasuwa had complied with the bail conditions and had left the court premises.

The Senate President and his deputy obviously had no difficulties fulfilling the bail conditions, but chose to wait for the other accused persons to perfect their bail.

Earlier, counsel to the federal government, who is also the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Mr. Mohammed Diri, had told the court that he had no opposition to Saraki’s bail on the grounds that he was the President of the Senate and did not want to cripple the activities of the Senate.

Diri, however, vehemently opposed Ekwerenmadu, Maikasuwa and Efeturi’s bail on the grounds that they were likely to evade trial, having allegedly evaded the service of the charges preferred against them.

The prosecution told the court that if convicted, the three defendants were likely to be jailed for 14 years and that because of the gravity of the punishment, the court should be cautious in granting them bail.

Erokoro, while moving a bail application for Saraki, told the court that apart from the charges, Saraki’s name was never mentioned, either in the proof of evidence or in the police report, adding that he had not in any way been linked to the alleged offence of conspiracy and forgery.

Erokoro further argued that no attempt was made by the prosecution to serve Saraki with the charge in question as required by law and that Saraki has been standing trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on other charges for almost a year and had never absented himself once at the tribunal.

He urged the court to grant Saraki bail on self-recognition or under liberal terms because as the Senate President, he was too big to run away in order to evade trial.

However, Chief Daudu (SAN), who was representing Ekwerenmadu, urged the court to note that the DPPF had no objection to the other three defendants on the grounds that they were charged with the same offence as Saraki.

Daudu told the court that he understood the political language of the DPPF on Ekwerenmadu, adding however that “what is good for the goose is also good for the gander”.

He also dismissed the insinuation by the prosecution that the three other defendants evaded service of the summons, adding that there was no affidavit of evidence to that effect before the court and that the insinuation should be regarded as mere speculation.

Other lawyers argued along the same lines with Daudu in their submissions for the bail of their clients.

The trial attracted 30 senators, dozens of reporters and supporters from across the country.

Owing to the multitude that turned up for the arraignment, the courtroom was overcrowded as supporters and journalists struggled to follow the trial.

At some point, the judge was forced to adjourn so that the security personnel could empty the courtroom of the crowd that had turned up.

Seeing that the senators who had accompanied Saraki and Ekweremadu were not willing to budge, the police turned on reporters asking them to leave the courtroom.

Executive Affront On Legislative Rights, By Bolaji Adebiyi

It was sometime in June 1999. The business of the Senate was just shaping up and the various party caucuses were announcing the names of their principal officers. There were three dominant parties then: the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) the All Peoples Party and the Alliance for Democracy (APC ). There was no problem until it came to the turn of the APP to real out the names of their officers. Senator Florence Ita-Giwa rose up under a point of order directing the attention of the President of the Senate, Evan Enwerem, to a court order, restraining the Senate from considering any list of principal officers from the APP. A quarrel had arisen in the opposition party over the matter and some members had gone to court to obtain a restraining order.
Kanu Agabi, learned silk and also PDP senator representing Cross River Central, raised another point of order and asked Enwerem if, under the 1999 Constitution, an arm of government can restrain another arm of government from performing its own duties or regulate its own procedure? Responding, Enwerem asked Agabi to elucidate his query. Agabi then said, “Can the judiciary, which is an arm of the Federal Government of Nigeria, validly ask the legislature, another arm of the government, not to perform its duties or regulate its own affairs?” The learned silk answered the question in the negative, citing the principles of separation of powers established by the constitution and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act 1990 that immunises a legislator against legal processes and proceedings for acts done in the exercise of their legislative duties. He, therefore, asked the Senate to disregard the restraining order as an intrusion by the judiciary into the affairs of the legislature, which is tantamount to an abuse of its rights and privileges.
Enwerem, also a senior lawyer, agreed with Agabi but advised caution, saying the legislature should not right one wrong with another wrong. “Let’s obey the order not because we are wrong, but because we must show maturity, particularly because we have a remedy,” the President of the Senate ruled.
It was the turn of the executive arm of government to borrow this principle in 2009. President Umaru Yar’Adua had travelled abroad on medical leave. He had left behind a letter to be forwarded to the National Assembly in compliance with section 145 of the 1999 Constitution to enable the Vice President act. But the letter was not delivered. The Senate complained about the obvious slight and violation of the Constitution. But given the power politics in the Presidential Villa no one could explain that a powerful special adviser had decided to not to transmit the presidential communication.
Asked by the Channels TV to explain the seeming breach of the Constitution, the Special Assistant to the President (Politics), Bolaji Adebiyi, argued that while it was not the practise of the Presidency to take issues with the legislature, the opinion of the Senate on the interpretation of S 145 of the Constitution did not bind the executive arm of the government and was, therefore, not bound to accept it. In any case, he argued, that the President had the discretion on whether or not to activate the said section. In his appraisal of the standoff, Sam Amadi, a Harvard trained lawyer, agreed with Adebiyi, saying the principle of separation of powers allowed each arm of government to regulate themselves and hug their powers donated by the Constitution exclusively. In extreme legal jurisprudence, he said, it had been argued that any of the other two arms might even resist the ruling of the judiciary, which stands as an arbiter between the executive and the legislature on the one hand, and the government and the people on the other hand.
So there has always been tension over the implementation of the principle of separation of powers among the executive, the legislature and the judiciary, with each of the arms jealously guarding its own jurisdiction. In the past there was maturity and understanding as every arm applied the brakes at the slightest resistance from the aggressed arm. The judiciary in particular has been careful with the exercise of its power of arbitration and has always urged restraint from interference in the internal affairs of one arm by another. Several times it has ruled against executive exercise of legislative powers and vice versa. The obvious reason for this is the need to preserve the essence of democracy, which emphasises rule under the law, without which good governance is imperilled.
In the last 12 months the executive under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari has been extremely intrusive, recklessly interfering in the internal affairs of the legislature and refusing to obey valid order of courts directing it to release citizens incarcerated by its secret police and other security agencies.
After losing the leadership tussle in the legislature last year, it has refused to let up, harassing the winners with the coercive machineries of state entrusted to its care by the Constitution. First, the President would not grant audience to the President of the Senate Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara. And when necessity forced him to so do, he has been antagonistic to them, refusing to understand his acts are capable of undermining the legislature, which is the symbol of democracy.

When the Buhari administration is not blackmailing the legislature, accusing them of padding the budget, he is harassing them with criminal prosecution of alleged misdemeanour that it has being having extreme difficulties in proving in court. In the last 10 months it has put Saraki on trial for alleged breach of the code of conduct for public officers. Ordinarily there is nothing wrong with that for if a public officer infringes on the law he should have his day in court. But events at the Code of Conduct Tribunal of Mr. Danladi Umar has given little to cheer that justice would be dispensed as the chairman appears bent on summarily convicting Saraki.
At the inception of the trial, Saraki alleged that he was before the tribunal because he became the President of the Senate against the wishes of the powers that be. And that his trial was to force a leadership change in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. As the trial progressed the conduct of the tribunal chairman tended to buttress the Senate president’s accusation that the whole thing was more political than any attempt to fight official misdemeanour.
Umar’s exuberance to convict Saraki led the chairman to warn the accused’s lawyers in open court that their delay tactics would not reduce the consequences that would be meted out to their client at the end of the trial. That might have been a Freudian slip but Saraki has picked that up as the most singular evidence that he would not get justice. He is fighting that at the tribunal. Whatever the outcome of that preliminary request for Umar to recuse himself, it would end up at the higher courts. Sound lawyers say with that type of statement coming from an adjudicator, no higher court minded to do justice would not ask him to step down.
Perhaps sensing that its first plan to supplant the Senate leadership was crumbling, the Buhari administration last week brought out its plan B, preferring a two-count criminal charge against Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, and two others. The charges filed by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, accused the Senate leadership of forging the Standing Rules of the Senate used for its election of 9 June, 2015. Although Saraki has approached the courts again to quash the charge, it has sparked off an executive-legislative row with the National Assembly rising up to the obvious executive excesses of the Buhari administration.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have at separate plenaries dismissed the charges as a provocative attempt to intimidate the legislature and enforce, in the upper chamber, a leadership change that would pander to the dictates of the executive. They said it was an intolerable blatant interference in the internal affairs of the legislature and pledged to resist it. They are right.
The preferment of charges against Saraki and Ekweremadu over alleged acts purportedly committed in the exercise of their legislative functions is a clear violation of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act 1990 which immunises a legislator from any legal proceedings for any action he takes in the conduct of his legislative duties. So, assuming but not conceding that they forged the rules, the law says they cannot be prosecuted. That is law. But we know that the preferment of charges arose from politics. Again it was the obstinacy of the Buhari administration that has led it to this sorry pass of persistent belligerence.
The issue of alleged forgery of the Senate rules was part of the strategic plan of Buhari’s Unity Forum senators to pull down the Saraki leadership. When the matter came up at plenary, they were defeated by the Saraki forces. By the rules of the Senate, that ought to be the end of the matter. But the Unity Forum senators decided to externalise the issue, reporting to the police as well as taking a civil suit. Justice Ademola Adeniyi who heard the case preserved the right granted the legislature under the Constitution to regulate its own procedure and told the disgruntled senators that the court would not interfere in the internal affairs of the legislature.
It is curious that in spite of this ruling of the court which was not appealed, the executive has now decided to activate an alleged recommendation of one of its organs, the police, which investigated the matter and submitted its report to the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice a year ago. If anyone doubts the suspicion that the action is actuated by a desire to embarrass the Senate leadership rather than law enforcement, that doubt should be cleared by the fact that Malami, the AG, was a lawyer to the disgruntled Unity Forum senators. This actually is also an abuse of office.
As the legal fireworks begins on Monday it is necessary to warn that the growing intolerance of dissent by the Buhari administration and its meddlesomeness in the affairs of the legislature as well as its penchants for abuse of citizens’ rights under the guise of fighting corruption are tendencies towards dictatorship. Many social critics have actually warned that dictatorship is possible even in a democratic setting and that it is necessary for citizens to be vigilant.
We think more and more Nigerians are waking up to this emerging dictatorial tendencies of the Buhari administration. And it would appear that the President and his minders are taking the calm and reflective approach of Nigerians to his regime’s systematic decimation of their social and economic wellbeing for granted. The people who have in the past wrestled military dictators to the ground should not be underestimated by an emerging democratic dictator!

Gentlemen of the press, it is with a heavy heart that we have gathered here today to address you over the looming danger that the planned de-tention of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Sen. Ike Ikweremadu over a wanton allegation of forgery of the Senate rules, portends for the Nigerian democracy and national security as a whole.



Like other Nigerians, we read about the planned arrest and detention of Saraki and Ikweremadu in major national dailies yesterday 24th June, 2016. To say the least, we are shocked that the idea of the arrest of the two leaders of the National Assembly was being muted at all, let alone perfected and hatched.

We are reliably informed that Justice Justice Yusuf Halilu who will sit over the case of alleged forgery brought against the leadership of the Senate has already been well briefed and handsomely remunerated to do the evil bidding of the Federal Government squad led by Mr. Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation. All that is remaining for the judge to be done is to slam on Monday, an ‘impossible’ bail terms on the duo of Saraki and Ikweremadu so as to pave the way for their eventual detention and the violent take-over of the leadership of the National Assembly.

The Senate President and his deputy have shown on several occasions that they are law-abiding citizens of this country. The former has particularly demonstrated in practical terms his respect for the institution of the judiciary even in the face of persecution and deliberate provocation by people who are supposed to be his fellow party men. It is therefore unquestionable for anyone to want to take his maturity for a ride by clamping him and his deputy in detention for no just reason other than that they dared to respect the independence of the institution, which they superintend.

It bears repeating that the essence of bail in our judicial system is not to punish an offender but to secure his attendance of court as and when due. A deliberate withholding of such or order of a punitive bail conditions in the instant case will therefore be tantamount to a poor use of judicial discretion. It will clearly be against the principles governing the grant of bail in our courts.

It is no longer a secret that the AGF is acting a script of some disgruntled elements in the APC, but our priceless advice to the AGF and his sponsors is to thread with caution so as not to plunge the country into a crisis of unimaginable proportion. Any attempt to intimidate or harass the leadership of the National Assembly will be staunchly resisted.

We also advise the National Assembly to take their destinies in their own hands. The era of romancing the executive or romantising their excesses should be over by now! Or for how long would the legislators continue to buckle into the blackmails and intimidation of the executive? For how long would the legislature allow their hallowed chambers to be desecrated by a sister arm that does not reciprocate the decorum and maturity that the lawmakers always offer?

We implore the good people of Nigeria to see this altercation in its true colour – executive lawlessness and recklessness! What the Federal Government is doing through some of its minions is an invitation to anarchy, and we urge the well meaning Nigerians to put a final stop to the excesses of a few individuals who have been using the institutions sustained by tax payers’ money to truncate this democracy that we all laboured and fought hard for. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

This is not fair on SARAKI justice is being miscarried
He is a great leader of our time better than all his persecutors better than all of them put together intellectually n by all standards humanly imaginable. Why do we stifle and stunt growth and progress in our nation due to jealousy complex and vindictive attitudes. Political immaturity and intolerance is driving evil forces to deprive the NASS of qualitative leadership exemplified by this young man who has been part of the old process and has the vision to do away with the old ways and forge ahead with the new vision of a progressive new Nigeria exemplified by his drive in the NASS . Buhari and APC why can't you see clearly that you are going to pull your house down by this singular act . Blinded by the ferocity of contempt for Saraki you will cause collateral damage not because of his iconic stature but because you are setting a serious ugly precedence in politics and democratic ideals that will leave a stench for future generations to frown at . History will remember you as those unforgivers seeking forgiveness those who threw the baby away with the bath water those whose intolerance failed to tolerate their own mistakes. I refer you to John Oyeguns press release today regretting his call for a meeting at the conference centre when the party should have been at the NASS electing it's leaders . Will this persecution of Saraki be one in which in future he will pronounce regret . It seems to me we might not have an opportunity to reflect on the collosal damage we are planning to effect . Please Shealth your swords now call the truce no Victor no vanquished just peace at home peace within the APC and progress for Nigerians and Nigeria .This is not fair on SARAKI justice is being miscarried. He is a great leader of our time better than all his persecutors better than all of them put together intellectually n by all standards humanly imaginable. Why do we stifle and stunt growth and progress in our nation due to jealousy complex and vindictive attitudes. Political immaturity and intolerance is driving evil forces to deprive the NASS of qualitative leadership exemplified by this young man who has been part of the old process and has the vision to do away with the old ways and forge ahead with the new vision of a progressive new Nigeria exemplified by his drive in the NASS . Buhari and APC why can't you see clearly that you are going to pull your house down by this singular act . Blinded by the ferocity of contempt for Saraki you will cause collateral damage not because of his iconic stature but because you are setting a serious ugly precedence in politics and democratic ideals that will leave a stench for future generations to frown at . History will remember you as those unforgivers seeking forgiveness those who threw the baby away with the bath water those whose intolerance failed to tolerate their own mistakes. I refer you to John Oyeguns press release today regretting his call for a meeting at the conference centre when the party should have been at the NASS electing it's leaders . Will this persecution of Saraki be one in which in future he will pronounce regret . It seems to me we might not have an opportunity to reflect on the collosal damage we are planning to effect . Please Shealth your swords now call the truce no Victor no vanquished just peace at home, peace within the APC and progress for Nigerians and Nigeria . # Halt all persecution of Dr Abubarkar Bukola Saraki CON #

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, today (Wednesday) maintains he knows nothing about how the rules adopted in the inauguration of the Eighth Senate on June 9, 2015 was formulated.



He said the on-going efforts to drag him into a case of forgery before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, was just another phase in the orchestrated persecution he has faced since he emerged as Senate President a little over a year ago.

Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, stated that he was not a part of the leadership of the 7th Senate that made the rules in question and prior to his unanimous election as Senate President on June 9, 2015, he was merely a Senator-elect like all his colleagues, and therefore was not in a position to influence the rules that were to be used in the conduct of the election.



“The Police in their investigation were conscious that the incumbent Senate President was not in office prior to June 9, 2015 and that was why in their letters inviting some individuals for their investigation, they only mentioned officers of the 7th Senate. The last of the letters was written to the Clerk of the National Assembly on June 7, 2016 and he was not among those invited.

“Those who decided to smuggle the name of the Senate President into the charge sheet after the fact knew perfectly well that only the leadership of the 7th Senate were invited for investigation. But they needed to implicate him in keeping with their declared vow to ensure that even if their current efforts to nail him through the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) fails, they would find other ways to carry out their vendetta.

“This so-called forgery case is another wanton abuse of the judicial process and making a mockery of the institution of justice. As the Senate earlier stated, the sponsors of this plot are not only gunning for Dr. Saraki, what they have just launched with this latest antics is a grand onslaught on the foremost institution of our democracy. The only institutional difference between dictatorship and democracy is the presence of the legislature. Therefore, by seeking to cripple the National Assembly, they have declared a war on our hard-won democracy and aimed for the very jugular of our freedom.

“Let us restate the fact that the Senators who initiated the Police investigation in the first place had raised the same matter on the floor and were overwhelmingly overruled. They also filed a civil suit and were told by the court that neither the judiciary nor the executive can interfere in the internal affairs of the legislative arm.

“The Senate President recognizes the sundry problems bedeviling our nation today – food insecurity, devaluation of the Naira, inflation, unemployment, failing national infrastructure, insurgency in the North-eastern part of the country, restiveness in the oil producing areas, and general insecurity, among others – and believes that finding solutions to them should be the priority, at this period, for every individual in government, not the pursuit of narrow political objectives. That is why these needless distractions will do nobody any good. In fact, it will not help in delivering on the promise of bringing positive change to the lives of our people who voted for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last elections.

“The Senate President does not see what value this current attempt to shut down the Senate by dragging its presiding officers before a court for a phantom allegation of forgery will add to the attempts to solve the problems confronting the nation.

“Dr. Saraki will however explore all legal options necessary to ward off this fresh case of persecution and distraction”, the statement added.

The 8th Senate has snubbed President Muhammadu Buhari’s invitation to break fast with him at the presidential residence.

The Cable reports that the lawmakers received a letter of invitation from Buhari today, but ignored it on the floor.

It is the tradition that communications between both arms of government are read on the floor of the Senate.

According to sources close to the Senate leadership, “letters from Buhari will not be read on the floor of the Senate for now”.

Buhari has already seen a list of ambassadors returned to him by the senate, who have raised alarm over the executive’s plot to silence the red chamber by jailing its President and his Deputy.

The list of ambassadors was returned for not being complete.

This is not the first time Buhari is sending an incomplete list of nominations to the red chamber, but in previous times the Senate had ignored the discrepancies, like in the case of ministerial appointments.

On Sunday, when Buhari returned from a forced leave of absence in London, following a persistent ear infection, the Senate raised alarm over the plot of the executive to jail Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, for alleged forgery of the 2015 senate rule book which brought the duo to office.

The Senate had warned that the hand of cooperation enjoyed by the executive, especially in the clumsily arranged nomination of ministers, and passing of the 2016 budget, was given in the interest of the country.

The strife between both arms dates back to June 9, 2015, when Buhari reportedly invited senators to a preliminary meeting with him at the International Conference Centre, ICC, on the day of their inauguration.

While some senators under the All Progressives Congress, APC honoured the invite, those under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP were not invited and looked set to steal the Senate leadership from the ruling party.

Saraki and a few other senators under the APC did not attend the meeting, and were able to rally the support of the opposition, who out numbered them in the house, to emerge Senate President.

The move was scoffed at by the leadership of the APC, and not long after, a case of false assets declaration was brought-up against Saraki.

Although the presidency and the APC have distanced themselves form it, the timing of the case looked apt for observers who insist that both bodies cannot be overlooked in the scheme of things.

Saraki himself has said he is being persecuted for emerging Senate President against the wish of his party.

Buhari has also forwarded a letter seeking the confirmation of the Acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu to the Senate, and according to sources, that too will face stiff opposition from the lawmakers.

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OrderPaperToday – Senate President Bukola Saraki has said his inclusion in the charge sheet of the case of alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Orders was part of attempts to remove him from office.
Reacting for the first time since news broke last week that the Federal Government has charged him alongside Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and former Clerk to the National Assembly and Clerk of the Senate, Saraki however vowed to clear his name through all legal means.

In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said he was never invited by the police during investigation of the alleged forgery and was surprised that his name appeared on the charge sheet.

In the statement entitled ‘I Know Nothing About Alleged Forgery,’ the Senate President said “on-going efforts to drag him into a case of forgery before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, was just another phase in the orchestrated persecution he has faced since he emerged as Senate President a little over a year ago.”

Saraki stated that he was not a part of the leadership of the 7th Senate that made the rules in question and prior to his unanimous election as Senate President on June 9, 2015, he was merely a Senator-elect like all his colleagues, and therefore was not in a position to influence the rules that were to be used in the conduct of the election.

He said: “The Police in their investigation were conscious that the incumbent Senate President was not in office prior to June 9, 2015 and that was why in their letters inviting some individuals for their investigation, they only mentioned officers of the 7th Senate. The last of the letters was written to the Clerk of the National Assembly on June 7, 2016 and he was not among those invited.

“Those who decided to smuggle the name of the Senate President into the charge sheet after the fact knew perfectly well that only the leadership of the 7th Senate were invited for investigation. But they needed to implicate him in keeping with their declared vow to ensure that even if their current efforts to nail him through the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) fails, they would find other ways to carry out their vendetta.

“This so-called forgery case is another wanton abuse of the judicial process and making a mockery of the institution of justice. As the Senate earlier stated, the sponsors of this plot are not only gunning for Dr. Saraki, what they have just launched with this latest antics is a grand onslaught on the foremost institution of our democracy. The only institutional difference between dictatorship and democracy is the presence of the legislature. Therefore, by seeking to cripple the National Assembly, they have declared a war on our hard-won democracy and aimed for the very jugular of our freedom.

“Let us restate the fact that the Senators who initiated the Police investigation in the first place had raised the same matter on the floor and were overwhelmingly overruled. They also filed a civil suit and were told by the court that neither the judiciary nor the executive can interfere in the internal affairs of the legislative arm.

“The Senate President recognizes the sundry problems bedevilling our nation today – food insecurity, devaluation of the Naira, inflation, unemployment, failing national infrastructure, insurgency in the North-eastern part of the country, restiveness in the oil producing areas, and general insecurity, among others – and believes that finding solutions to them should be the priority, at this period, for every individual in government, not the pursuit of narrow political objectives. That is why these needless distractions will do nobody any good. In fact, it will not help in delivering on the promise of bringing positive change to the lives of our people who voted for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last elections.

“The Senate President does not see what value this current attempt to shut down the Senate by dragging its presiding officers before a court for a phantom allegation of forgery will add to the attempts to solve the problems confronting the nation.”

It is no longer news that the Supreme Court judgment on the appeal of the Senate Presi­dent, Senator Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to stop his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), was not favourable to him. What is news now is some curi­ous calls going out for him to step down from his number three seat to face his trial at the Tribunal. On the face value, the calls may appear innocuous, and could have been even germane if this case is a regu­lar one.

The apex court last Friday dis­missed Senator Saraki’s appeal against the competence and con­stitution of the CCT to try him for the 13-count charge of false asset declaration. Those pushing for his resignation are saying that the issue has reached a critical stage where Senator Saraki’s corruption trial is questioning the Senate’s integrity and Nigeria’s pride. For them, therefore, the Senate under Senator Saraki is fast losing cred­ibility. There is now a need to inter­rogate this claim.

The issue is public perception and the discerning members of the public know that Senator Sa­raki’s trial is a ploy to hound him out of the seat of the senate presi­dent, which he occupies against the APC directive and preference for Senator Ahmed Lawan. The trial is, as such, primarily, not about fight against corruption and that is what has made the case to lose favour and public sympathy. It also raises doubt over the objectiv­ity and sincerity of the corruption fight.

It began with the way and man­ner Senator Saraki’s trial was com­menced, which left so much to be desired. Yes, in law it is said, Nul­lum tempus non ocurit regi – time does not run against the crown (government). What this simply implies is that if one has any case to answer, he shouldn’t ever fool himself that passage of time would cover it. It is good for the system that once one runs afoul of the law, it would always haunt one. But in­fractions should never be used as a political tool and brought up only when there are political vendettas to settle.

While the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, had stated and maintained that he is ready to submit himself to due process of the law on any issue concerning him, he also believed that he had an inalienable right to resort to the same judiciary for protection when he feels his fundamental rights are infringed upon. That was why he approached the Supreme Court in the first place.

What armed Senator Saraki was the Code of Conduct Act 2001, Article 3 (b) which provides for the Bureau to first confront the asset declarant before referring the matter to its Code of Conduct Tri­bunal. This, Senator Saraki said, wasn’t done, which prompted him to seek other legal avenues for the protection of his rights. Question is: why rush to trial without follow­ing due process as stipulated in the code of Conduct Bureau Act?

As consequence, some have rightly called the trial political persecution rather than a fight against corruption, and an affront on the legislature. Since the re­turn to democratic governance in 1999, the legislature has been sub­jected to executive highhanded­ness, leading to what has come to be known as ‘Banana Peels’ in the National Assembly, with the in­duced instability through bribery and corruption producing 5 Sen­ate Presidents in 4 years under the Obasanjo Presidency.

Senator Saraki’s political perse­cution is obviously arising from the election of principal officers of the National Assembly in June, 2015, which saw to his ascension to the number three position in the land against the wishes of his Po­litical Party. Are such people say­ing the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which gave Senators Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu the inalienable rights to be elected as Senate President and Deputy respectively by their colleagues should be sacrificed on the altar of the so-called Party su­premacy?

The advocates of Party Suprem­acy over the Constitution (which is the grund norm) should first amend the Constitution; Chapter 5, which states in section 50 (1): “There shall be: (a) a President and a Deputy President of the Senate, who shall be elected by the mem­bers of that House from among themselves”. Beyond doubt, the Constitution never contemplated the roles of political party caucuses or party executives in the elections of presiding officers.

Politics is all about consensus and should not be reduced to concentric circles of conspiracies. So far, Senator Saraki has demon­strated to be a good party man and has eased through all the requests of the APC government to Senate, sometimes against popular wish­es of the Senators. An example should be the approval of Lai Mo­hammed as Minister, which voice vote was openly against. Senator Saraki pushes through such execu­tive requests to give Mr. President the necessary support to hit the ground running and gain traction. He deserves to be given some res­pite to do his job without trepida­tion.

Legislative independence is what is stake here once again. The rapprochements achieved between the legislature and executive since the Yar’Adua/Jonathan days may be eroded once again and such has adverse consequences for the pol­ity. Commendably, the Senators appear resolved to protect the Sen­ate as an institution and its leader­ship. In doing this, a great majority of the Senators gave Senator Saraki vote of confidence when the trial began and accompanied him to the Code of Conduct Tribunal and are set to continue in like manner. It means the Senate will necessar­ily be shut down occasionally in solidarity and a demonstration of legislative Independence.

To these Senators, Senator Sa­raki’s resignation cannot even be contemplated given the political nature of the trial. Putting it be­yond dispute that it is all political witch-hunt, the spokesman of the APC in Lagos State, confirmed what some of us have tried to prove – Senator Saraki’s trial is not a fight against corruption; it is a fight for his seat. The APC spokesman stat­ed clearly that the APC would stop at nothing until they retrieve what he proclaimed as “stolen mandates held by Senator Saraki and Ekwer­emadu”.

Imagine his chilling, imperious words; “Again if Bukola Senator Saraki feels his hands are tightly glued to the exalted seat of the Senate Presidency and therefore cannot be removed, APC may be compelled to tear or cut his hands off, so that the National Assembly can move forward. No man is an island, and none can claim that he is the final word in APC .I shed no tears for Senator Saraki”.

Such alarming words coming from the APC official quarters even though unofficially, is for the Party’s fear of what has come to be known as ‘tambuwalization’, as many APC chieftains believe Sena­tor Saraki and even Speaker Yaku­bu Dogara are pro-PDP and could still decamp. Yet, the same APC welcomed Aminu Waziri Tambu­wal into its fold and shielded him to retain his position as Speaker even though the APC was a mi­nority Party then.

What is more, if all one’s oppo­nents or the Government need to do to hound anybody out of an elected or appointed position is to raise an allegation and the individ­ual resigns to clear his name, then, there is a grave danger; for the target of such traducers may not be fact-finding but to remove the person from the seat, as is manifest in Senator Saraki’s trial. In such in­stances, where the allegations are politically motivated, the primary aim cannot be fight against cor­ruption but to corruptly take the individual off his elective position. Since this is the case here, Senator Saraki would be doing our democ­racy a disservice by resigning as that will further make the legisla­ture vulnerable and pliable.

Senator Saraki’s trial should be seen for what it is – political trial. Many have argued that it does not matter whether or not his case has gone stale since it was about assets they said he falsely declared 14 years ago. Yes, the wheel of justice grinds slowly and time does not run out on criminal matters. Yet, there are questions that Code of Conduct Bureau has to answer. Between the times Senator Saraki made his first asset declaration 14 years ago and the last one he made as Senate President, he had made asset declarations about 5 times. What did the Bureau do with the information he had been supplying them all the while? Can the Bureau rightly claim that it took it 13 years to verify Senator Saraki’s claims? If indeed it did take them 13 years to carry out simply asset verification, of what value is such institution to the fight against corruption? Is the leadership of the Bureau not sup­posed to be disbanded for derelic­tion of duty and incompetence?

More importantly, if the Bureau had all the facts all the while and sat on it, what moral right does its Tribunal (as constituted) still have to preside over the matter? Can such Tribunal still serve justice in this matter? More questions and no answers

ARAKI SHOULD NOT RESIGN
It is no longer news that the Supreme Court judgment on the appeal of the Senate Presi­dent, Senator Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to stop his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), was not favourable to him. What is news now is some curi­ous calls going out for him to step down from his number three seat to face his trial at the Tribunal. On the face value, the calls may appear innocuous, and could have been even germane if this case is a regu­lar one.

The apex court last Friday dis­missed Senator Saraki’s appeal against the competence and con­stitution of the CCT to try him for the 13-count charge of false asset declaration. Those pushing for his resignation are saying that the issue has reached a critical stage where Senator Saraki’s corruption trial is questioning the Senate’s integrity and Nigeria’s pride. For them, therefore, the Senate under Senator Saraki is fast losing cred­ibility. There is now a need to inter­rogate this claim.

The issue is public perception and the discerning members of the public know that Senator Sa­raki’s trial is a ploy to hound him out of the seat of the senate presi­dent, which he occupies against the APC directive and preference for Senator Ahmed Lawan. The trial is, as such, primarily, not about fight against corruption and that is what has made the case to lose favour and public sympathy. It also raises doubt over the objectiv­ity and sincerity of the corruption fight.

It began with the way and man­ner Senator Saraki’s trial was com­menced, which left so much to be desired. Yes, in law it is said, Nul­lum tempus non ocurit regi – time does not run against the crown (government). What this simply implies is that if one has any case to answer, he shouldn’t ever fool himself that passage of time would cover it. It is good for the system that once one runs afoul of the law, it would always haunt one. But in­fractions should never be used as a political tool and brought up only when there are political vendettas to settle.

While the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, had stated and maintained that he is ready to submit himself to due process of the law on any issue concerning him, he also believed that he had an inalienable right to resort to the same judiciary for protection when he feels his fundamental rights are infringed upon. That was why he approached the Supreme Court in the first place.

What armed Senator Saraki was the Code of Conduct Act 2001, Article 3 (b) which provides for the Bureau to first confront the asset declarant before referring the matter to its Code of Conduct Tri­bunal. This, Senator Saraki said, wasn’t done, which prompted him to seek other legal avenues for the protection of his rights. Question is: why rush to trial without follow­ing due process as stipulated in the code of Conduct Bureau Act?

As consequence, some have rightly called the trial political persecution rather than a fight against corruption, and an affront on the legislature. Since the re­turn to democratic governance in 1999, the legislature has been sub­jected to executive highhanded­ness, leading to what has come to be known as ‘Banana Peels’ in the National Assembly, with the in­duced instability through bribery and corruption producing 5 Sen­ate Presidents in 4 years under the Obasanjo Presidency.

Senator Saraki’s political perse­cution is obviously arising from the election of principal officers of the National Assembly in June, 2015, which saw to his ascension to the number three position in the land against the wishes of his Po­litical Party. Are such people say­ing the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which gave Senators Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu the inalienable rights to be elected as Senate President and Deputy respectively by their colleagues should be sacrificed on the altar of the so-called Party su­premacy?

The advocates of Party Suprem­acy over the Constitution (which is the grund norm) should first amend the Constitution; Chapter 5, which states in section 50 (1): “There shall be: (a) a President and a Deputy President of the Senate, who shall be elected by the mem­bers of that House from among themselves”. Beyond doubt, the Constitution never contemplated the roles of political party caucuses or party executives in the elections of presiding officers.

Politics is all about consensus and should not be reduced to concentric circles of conspiracies. So far, Senator Saraki has demon­strated to be a good party man and has eased through all the requests of the APC government to Senate, sometimes against popular wish­es of the Senators. An example should be the approval of Lai Mo­hammed as Minister, which voice vote was openly against. Senator Saraki pushes through such execu­tive requests to give Mr. President the necessary support to hit the ground running and gain traction. He deserves to be given some res­pite to do his job without trepida­tion.

Legislative independence is what is stake here once again. The rapprochements achieved between the legislature and executive since the Yar’Adua/Jonathan days may be eroded once again and such has adverse consequences for the pol­ity. Commendably, the Senators appear resolved to protect the Sen­ate as an institution and its leader­ship. In doing this, a great majority of the Senators gave Senator Saraki vote of confidence when the trial began and accompanied him to the Code of Conduct Tribunal and are set to continue in like manner. It means the Senate will necessar­ily be shut down occasionally in solidarity and a demonstration of legislative Independence.

To these Senators, Senator Sa­raki’s resignation cannot even be contemplated given the political nature of the trial. Putting it be­yond dispute that it is all political witch-hunt, the spokesman of the APC in Lagos State, confirmed what some of us have tried to prove – Senator Saraki’s trial is not a fight against corruption; it is a fight for his seat. The APC spokesman stat­ed clearly that the APC would stop at nothing until they retrieve what he proclaimed as “stolen mandates held by Senator Saraki and Ekwer­emadu”.

Imagine his chilling, imperious words; “Again if Bukola Senator Saraki feels his hands are tightly glued to the exalted seat of the Senate Presidency and therefore cannot be removed, APC may be compelled to tear or cut his hands off, so that the National Assembly can move forward. No man is an island, and none can claim that he is the final word in APC .I shed no tears for Senator Saraki”.

Such alarming words coming from the APC official quarters even though unofficially, is for the Party’s fear of what has come to be known as ‘tambuwalization’, as many APC chieftains believe Sena­tor Saraki and even Speaker Yaku­bu Dogara are pro-PDP and could still decamp. Yet, the same APC welcomed Aminu Waziri Tambu­wal into its fold and shielded him to retain his position as Speaker even though the APC was a mi­nority Party then.

What is more, if all one’s oppo­nents or the Government need to do to hound anybody out of an elected or appointed position is to raise an allegation and the individ­ual resigns to clear his name, then, there is a grave danger; for the target of such traducers may not be fact-finding but to remove the person from the seat, as is manifest in Senator Saraki’s trial. In such in­stances, where the allegations are politically motivated, the primary aim cannot be fight against cor­ruption but to corruptly take the individual off his elective position. Since this is the case here, Senator Saraki would be doing our democ­racy a disservice by resigning as that will further make the legisla­ture vulnerable and pliable.

Senator Saraki’s trial should be seen for what it is – political trial. Many have argued that it does not matter whether or not his case has gone stale since it was about assets they said he falsely declared 14 years ago. Yes, the wheel of justice grinds slowly and time does not run out on criminal matters. Yet, there are questions that Code of Conduct Bureau has to answer. Between the times Senator Saraki made his first asset declaration 14 years ago and the last one he made as Senate President, he had made asset declarations about 5 times. What did the Bureau do with the information he had been supplying them all the while? Can the Bureau rightly claim that it took it 13 years to verify Senator Saraki’s claims? If indeed it did take them 13 years to carry out simply asset verification, of what value is such institution to the fight against corruption? Is the leadership of the Bureau not sup­posed to be disbanded for derelic­tion of duty and incompetence?

More importantly, if the Bureau had all the facts all the while and sat on it, what moral right does its Tribunal (as constituted) still have to preside over the matter? Can such Tribunal still serve justice in this matter? More questions and no answers