Senators vow to turn heat on presidency
• Raw deal ahead for executive bills, others
• Reject Senate President pro-tempore
• Saraki, Ekweremadu trial abuse of process, says court
The ongoing face-off between the Senate and the executive arm of government has attained a frightening crescendo.
The Senate, at the weekend, appeared to have dug in for what could be a protracted tussle. Executive bills, special requests from the Presidency, including nominations are expected to fall casualties in the dirty battle.
Following the huge drop in anticipated revenue upon which the N6trn budget was largely based, the Presidency, it was learnt is preparing an amendment. But sittings of the Senate may suffer serious disruptions after its current Sallah recess, as a result of the trial of its two Presiding Officers, a situation that could frustrate the amendment and any other request from the executive arm.
The Senate is expected to resume plenary sittings July 12, 2016.
“I can conveniently tell you that we are ready for the executive this time. The matter is simple. They cannot eat their cakes and still have it. The executive believes that it can impose a Senate President on the House. It won’t happen. So, as far as the overwhelming majority of Senators are concerned, nothing like the appointment of Senate President Pro-Tempore will happen on the floor of this Senate. If the two Presiding officers are not around, we will close the chamber, until such a day one of them would be available,” a senator from the Like Minds group vowed.
Hopes of a likely emergence of a Senate President Pro-Tempore, to preside over plenary in the absence of Saraki and Ekweremadu, was dashed, yesterday, following the opposition of many senators to the idea. The Like Minds, comprising over 80 senators have already resolved to shoot down any such move.
Senate President Bukola Saraki, and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, will face trial beginning Monday, July 11, 2016, over allegation of forgery.
According to Senate Rules, plenary sittings would only hold with a Presiding Officer to guide the day’s proceedings. And in the absence of the two such officers, the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President, Senate can only sit, if it appoints a Senate President Pro-Tempore.
Rule 27 of Senate Standing Order states: “In the absence of the President of the Senate and Deputy President of the Senate, such senator as the Senate may elect for the purpose shall preside. Such senator shall be known as ‘President Pro-Tempore’.”
Chairman of Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Sam Anyanwu, who sent his reaction on the matter via text message said: “There is nothing like that and it cannot happen.”
The Chairman of Senate Committee on Banking and Other Financial Institutions, Rafiu Ibrahim, said: “It is a blatant lie.”
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja, last Thursday, ruled that the forgery charge brought against the Saraki and Ekweremadu and two others by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, was a gross abuse of court process.
The court further faulted the charge for being filed during the pendency of a civil action instituted to challenge the propriety of the police report on the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rule 2015, in which the AGF and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) are defendants.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole, ruling in an ex-parte motion filed by Senator Gilbert Emeka Nnaji, seeking to stop the implementation of the police report, held that the forgery charge against Saraki, Ekweremadu and others was done in a desperate haste that was not in the public interest.
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77 Comments
President Buhari is fighting too many battles he cannot win. I hope his advisers are doing the right thing. God bless Nigeria.
Don’t forget Buhari conquered the mighty pdp to change nigeria politics, so what is senate??
He even conquered the dreaded boko haram,biafrafraud, dasuki, Tomopolo,Almighty Metuh and so on and so on… the senate is a small fry..
And as at yesterday, the Avengers are still blowing up more pipeline .
keep blowing. who cares
I care. I hope most right thinking Nigerians care. There two looming disasters as a consequence of their actions one economic ant the other environmental. I understand to give quick warnings to the operators to isolate valves in the pipeline leading to sections they have blown up. Hopefully this helps a little.
On current trajectory, the international Economic intelligence unit is said to be predicting crude oil production [or is it sales] will be down to zero by end of October this year. I pray it is an exaggeration and that they are wrong or that something changes
People think PMB is ‘fighting’ too many battles – but let us tell ourselves what is or was his profession? FIGHTING – So lets us be the one to learn that with PMB all interactions are fights and no civility. Can’t to see the security appointments, they are primed for a fight and only God knows what fights he is having in mind. So let us change our minds of expecting civilian things from PMB.
Please, put the president out this, let the duo go to court and sort themselves out. There are other nigerians that are innocent and are facing trial
Governance in whatever guise will still be going on. Buhari wants to rule without a senate. He prefers autocracy. He said so. No debates. We are really retrogressing.
COUNTRY IS BETTER WITHOUT THESE SENATE LOOTERS.
It reduce the cost of governance.
Yes. Get rid of the corrupt legislators and the corrupt judges and let the Messiah continue as unchallenged head of state as in 1985 before IBB rudely interrupted our march to greatness under him
There are countries that have one NASS and heaven did not fall. In any case, that will help to reduce the cost of governance.
This senate is a toothless bull dog. Too much shakara by these individually corrupt persons
So you think the Presidency too is not corrupt? you better wake up! with your obsession for PMB…He is a human being like you. This is no longer democracy. God bless Nigeria
so u admit the senate is corrupt?
What about you? Who were those who helped in padding budgets? That is a generalisation – but not all are corrupt!
There is noting like corruption. its just an English word conjured by some people to deceive the whole World. Na so so corruption everyone dey cry all over Nigeria. You better work for your own money and forget about waiting for govt money that will never come
Corruption comes in different shades, shapes and sizes. This Senate House’s corrupt persons are beyond measure. There is democracy in Nigeria but the idea of a country within a country shall not stand. The SARAMADU REPUBLIC called the Senate House will never stand.
It is this mentality that has kept Nigeria in darkness. It has been business as usual. Government after government telling us lets not stir controversies, it is not in our culture to probe paSt governments. The truth is you and I have suffered while the politicians and their families have ferried our resources to develop other economies of the world. What we suffer today is the effect. Now we have a President who says enough is enough, lets put a stop to this. It is reasonable that we should all support him. Take note that he cannot do it all at once. He is wise to take this corruption fight one at a time. Let him do what he can at this point. If anyone believes he has been wronged in this fight let him go to court.
You don’t understand anything. See, Social injustice is worse than financial corruption.
Tell him, some of us don’t know that behind the propensity to steal our money, without conscience, is the social injustice (the worst form of corruption) that has polarized the populace, kept us down and has made us a laughing stock.
Ekene, what do you suggest? That it should be business as usual and bring back PDP? Nigeria would have been worse off if PDP had continued.
Under calculus of probability that is one of the variables. It may and it may not. But fact is we’re not better off with what we’ve now if we sincerely discount propaganda
14 law makers in Borno state are facing the EFCC for N750M car loan scam. The story has it that N500M of that amount was traced to the speaker of the house. Ekene, should we also overlook this so people will not cry social injustice?
I hope you truly know the members of PDP then. You sound as if APC members came from heaven. Maybe you have forgotten,let me remind you—,AMAECHI,-KWANKWASO, ATIKU ,AMINU MASARI,WAMMAKO,TAMBUWAL, were all in PDP for a greater part of the past 16years. Abeg,who is fooling who?
They have crossed the River Jordan and lo have been born anew and are now Saints. Where have you been for the past 13 months?!!
No that is should be business as expected with fair, honest and scrupulous application of the rule of law across the board. you treat Burrattai the same way you treat Dasuki
You better forget about Nigeria money and make your own money
The corruption fight must be done transparently with no sacred cows
To parody what they taught the dumb animals to say repeatedly in Animal farm ‘ Broomstick good, Umbrella bad’
Good point. Nigerians are the enemies of their own progress. If we continue to shield corruption, development will be far from this nation
If what he does doesn’t comply with the best world practice and standard then what will be the outcome?
Assume the President probe all that is corrupt including APC, PDP and other parties members don’t you think it would have be a different ball game by now.
Every cases of corruption they are allegation until a competent court of the land prove it otherwise but once it’s a member of opposition they are already guilty but if it’s a member of APC it’s a mere allegation
I don’t care how many of the politicians and corrupt government officials go to prison as long as they are found guilty of malfeasances but what I can’t stand is partiality and nepotism as the cases are presently.
The army confirmed that truly Lt. General Buratai bought and owned two houses in Dubai but they said he acquired them by his salary. How much did he earn till date. The records of all his earnings as a soldier can be retrieved from pay and record of the army. But what has the almighty EFCC did about it today?
Simple logic should tell you that emphasis will naturally be on the people who ruled us yesterday
If the mistakes of today is not corrected it’ll also become of yesterday when tomorrow comes. Must we always spend our new day on issues of yesterday that has gone and has no more value? This country is not moving forward because we spend every new day on yesterday, this is worrisome and pathetic to say the least
My brother I would have love that. But these people will form alliance, carpet crossing et al and impeach him. If they cannot do that they will frustrate him. It is better to keep one group close now and then turn the table later at the tail end of his administration. This is what I would have done when faced with such a situation. But the biggest take away from this fight is that Buhari and his APC will be probed when the leave the stage. They can never be there for life. Buhari will be remembered for setting this PRECEDENT.
Why many Nigerians like my self are not in the support of buharis style of war against corruption is that it is fraught with malicious vendetta, hypocrisy, deciet ,discrimination and cunning craftiness. This saraki case is a good example of an anti corruption war that is tainted with immorality,deception and lies.you lost election on the floor of the senate ,you brand your opponents corrupt and now trying to use courts to get what you could not get on the floor of senate under the malicious guide of fighting corruption. That is the height of immorality.
The problem, I think, is that we are losing something far greater than the trillions that were purportedly stolen by past administration, the very thing that made it possible for a Buhari to emerge in the first place, that is our democracy. I can’t understand that supposedly intelligent people can’t see that.
Uzo, democracy thrIves where the rule of law is sacrosanct. These people you are defending have not been sent before a military tribunal but before a court of law to prove their innocence. Even Saraki and Ekweremadu and the rest of them are before the courts. Instead of taking advantage of the legal position that this case was already before another court they are busy trying to whip up sentiments. Did you read the EFCC allegations against Fayose? He is yet to pay almost a year salary because there is no money. Yet he is alleged to have collected enough kickbacks from contractors to buy houses in banana island, Victoria Island, Abuja and even in Dubai. It is still an allegation but he has the right to defend this when he leaves office. How is democracy being undermined in this case and similar cases all over? What about the 14 law makers in Borno state in the alleged N750M car loan scam? Intelligent indeed.
Thanks for your response.
Now, maybe there is merit to all the other accusations you are throwing in but they are nevertheless not part of the issue at contention here. The question, a constitutional one, is: Are the legislature and executive not co-equal and independent arms of government? The senate has its rule book for dealing with matters such as the one that concerns us here and the executive branch of government has no right–absolutely no right–to come into the matter. And to defend that constitutional position does not in anyway amount supporting corrupt persons
Further, unless you’re adopting a very narrow interpretation of the rule of law you would also be condemning all the arbitrary arrests and incarcerations going on presently under whatever guise, well-intentioned or.not.
What arbitrary arrest? If somebody has been arbitrarily thrown into jail, let him go to court.
Are you saying because Saraki is the president of the Senate if he is ALLEGED to have broken the law, he cannot be held accountable? Your interpretation of the doctrine of separation of power is neither here nor there. By the way, the case was taken to court by the law makers themselves. But it is not a civil case between two people, it is criminal and therefore against the state. The attorney general represents the state. It is just like someone going to the police to report a case of armed robbery. If the robber is caught, it is no longer a case between the armed robber and the victim. The victim will only be required to give evidence in court. The principle of separation of power has not been violated my brother.
Yes indeed . What of General Burratai and his $1.5 million houses in Dubai on a salary of between $26,000 and $48,000 a year [Brigadier General to Major General]. That has been quietly buried. General Danmbazua’s case is coming up but will probable be buried before it becomes public. Left to this government if there was a way of burying Abacha’s case that will be done as well. If you must be a cow in Nigeria try and be a sacred one and you can steal to your hearts content without fear of retribution.
No Sir, the tradition has always been to probe past governments . The only Presidents who did not do that were OBJ and GEJ. Abacha was a classical example of an anti corruption regime that stle the nation blind while chasing after previous corrupt people. His friend is in power and it is the same script again. The steady improvement in our anti corruption index international ranking from OBJ through to GEJ is dropping again because of this practice. There is no hope for Nigeria.
There is hope for this Nigeria.
Thanks Denny, good talk, a lot of Nigerians are against the President, do you know that $700 trillion dollars have been looted from the treasury since independent, we know that Nigerian politicians are fantastically corrupt, this monies would have been enough to provide jobs, electricity, good roads, good education.good hospitals and worth more, but they have decided to terrorise the same citizens that voted them into power, corruption is another means of terrorism, because it prevents any nation to develop accordingly, that is why Africa will always be the last in almost everything. You see, this politician will loot our treasury, and bring the money to already developed economy like Europe, men, it’s a crime against humanity.I have been living in Europe now for 28 years, I have never experienced in one second, electricity failure, this politicians steal our common wealth, and keep Nigeria in the dark, President Buhari, go on with your Probe, however, nobody has been jailed.
What a shame of a comment!
He may demise the senators who refuse to listen to him, to him everything is possible. He once called the Nigerian senators as noise makers.
I hope he understand the power of senate, they can’t just all be bullied. Maybe one of the advicers told him, not to listen to the senators, because they don’t count and are just noise makers. 2016, Nigeria democratic process.
MOST OF THEM ARE THIEVES, THEY ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE BULLIED.
Ministers not senators.
SENATORS, YOU ARE AN ELITE GROUP OF THIEVES, FRAUDSTERS AND POT BELLY DOLLAR LOOTERS. MOST OF YOU DESERVE TO GO TO JAIL. PRESIDENCY SHOULD BE FIRM ON THESE LOOTERS. ONCE ONE OR TWO OF THEM ARE JAILED, THESE LOOTERS AND FRAUDSTERS WILL ALIGN THEMSELVES TO THE PATH OF SANITY AND HONESTY. ALL OF THEM NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED BECAUSE MOST OF THEM ARE A FRAUD. THEIR GANGING UP TOGETHER AGAINST PRESIDENTS IS NOTHING BUT A MOB MENTALITY AND GANGSTERISM WHICH SHOULD NOT INTIMIDATE BUHARI IN ANY WAY. THESE SENATE THIEVES DO NOT HAVE THE SPINE AND MORAL STRENGTH TO STAND AGAINST JUSTICE.
ALL FRAUDSTERS AND LOOTERS SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO BOOK AND JAILED TO CLEAN NIGERIA.
Senate is waking up late, though not too late. Why did you allow the abuse of the constitution in those appointments? That was the time that you should have shown that the constitution must be upheld by the executive or you do not facilitate such abuse by clearing those candidates. There is a lot now to sit up to if sanity is going to be brought to executive arm. Look at the padded budgets where you should have come up heads high!!!
What a threat. Please permanently shut down the chambers and let everyone go back to their respective villages. tell your constituencies what you have done in the past one year!, a year of chaos, indiscipline, not listening to the people that voted you into power, only to kill the already battered economy by importing new Jeeps when workers can not put food on the tables. Go and GO one million times!!!
See what we facing in Nigeria, these people are supposed to be above personalizing what is going with the Senate Leadership, it seems as if they don’t know what they are suppose to do or who they are to for, for the country of Saraki. They have no respect for themselves, and they have low self esteem issue. How on earth can they want to gang up against the Presidency for doing his job.
Some time I wonder how the common man who have not seen or benefited from our corrupt politicians will be putting up defense in favour of this greedy politicians.
This presidiot bokohari lead FG is the worst thing that have ever happened to Nigeria
To your own part of Nigeria populated by fools like you.
Social injustice is bad than corruption
Justice Kolawole sir, the pendency of a case in court should not preclude another. The AGF may have more evidences than we know. Whenever the said police report is found wanting, then the case will be thrown out at that appropriate point. Otherwise Saraki may challenge the School Certificate of the prosecuting lawyer and a case can’t be filed until the lawyer has proven that he’s appropriately qualified.
JUDICIAL HYPOCRISY
Now, who’s to blame? Kolawole who sat om an application for one year?
Or, the AGF who is doing his job by prosecuting.
kolawole could have told Nnaji, the day after his 2015 application, what he is telling him now
-that he has no locus standing.
Suddenly, because he has now been ignored and case given to another judge, he knows there is something called
‘Abuse of process’
What has he, humself, been doing for the past one year?
THEY WILL FALL ALL OVER THEMSELVES TO BETRAY ONE ANOTHER
The President may not have the money for all the APPROVED projects, but he has more than enough for the projects of his choice.
The Senators will have to explain to their Constituencies that they are fighting for Saraki and Ekerewandu when projects for which money has been allocated in their areas start to be ignored for lack of funding, or because
projects, in areas where cooperating senators come from, are gulping up the money.
The Executive has money for this year and first half of the second year.
This is an idle threat AND THESE CASH AND CARRY SENATORS KNOW IT.
Nigeria has a very bad image abroad and one of these are the Senators that are working daily for their own pocket. It is very bad that we have too much do or die politician in the senate. Nigerian are too poor to removed them.
SACK THE SENATE!!! PURE AND SIMPLE. IF THE SENATE DOESNT SIT WHILE THE ALLEGED FORGERS ARE IN COURT! SACK THE SENATE!!!
We elected senators to do their jobs and not cow in fear..it is the duty of senators to appoint their own leadership and not be tele-guided by external forces..if the Executive want a distracted government..by distracting the Legislature..then the senators have the right not to hold sittings on the day their leaders go to court..they simply don’t show up in the senate chambers in solidarity to their leaders..thus without a quorum there is no way a temporary president can be chosen let alone have a sitting..we must not allow tyrants hide under the anti-corruption war to fight their own political battles..abusing state institutions by using them in so much wicked..selfish and desperate rush to destroy targeted individuals for their own personal glory.Enough is enough.
I agree with you
Well said by u
Nigerians are the enemies of there progress!!!
the fight is on and economy is dwindling everyday…. how do we manage to get these illiterate president? now see the matters arising?
This administration is filled with impunity:just imagine, the case was filed in hasty and had undermined judicial due process :because of desperate to remove the duo. Have we wondered why the president wants this people out by all means? Perhaps to make sure the grazing bill is foist on Nigerians so as to promote the process of islamization.
The solution to our problem is that, section 44 (3) of 1999 Constitution must be expunged for the country to be restructured;
hence ”True Fiscal Federalism”
What form of corruption is worst than 14 out of 17 security top posts from northern section leaving entire south with 3 ? In clear disregard for national quota system, cbn , firs , prison services secretly employed sons and daughters of politically exposed peoples, what name is this called ? NNPC board is dominated by the northerners yet the section that produces the wealth are poorly represented , educate me on the worst corruption in history of this country than this , even the late Abacha of blessed memory fairly represented all the enthic nationality in political appointment. Please tell this government that Nigerians are suffering .
Sorry Sir, i am not sure why you ask the question. Power has retuned to the North as they have demanded under threat of mayhem. This is how things used to be and will continue to be from now onwards. Please get used to it. There are a few southerners in sensitive posts like Emelife to get rid off then the job will be complete.
I am sure that the so-called senators are aware that Buhari would never hesitate to put all them in prison since they are all corrupt! I warn the to avoid this confrontation because they will be the losers! When the EFCC starts looking into the constituency fund they received, then they will have no place ti hide! You people want to fight the president and the presidency? Please, go ahead!
Why not have them shot like Biafran miscreants under the amys’ ‘rule of engagement’ for dissenting voices?
Biafra or Ojukwu made a huge mistake shooting his own blood. It is forbidden in Igbo to kill one’s own no matter the reason, we banish. Ojukwu should have imprisoned those guys. That was why we lost the war!
‘Biafran miscreant’ is the term used by the GMBs security agents for anyone they shoot dead during any gathering related to the current agitation for an independent Biafran state.
I am sorry! I did not know that!
We will review and take appropriate action.