08:11:00
From Fred Itua, Abuja
TWO days after the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal filed by Senate President Bukola Saraki challenging the constitutionality of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to try him over alleged false assets declaration, members of the Upper Legislative Chamber were divided on his fate.
The lawmakers were split over whether or not Saraki should resign.
While two Saraki’s supporters, Senators Dino Melaye and Samuel Anyanwu, are against the agitation for his resignation, his rival, Senator Kabiru Marafa, believes that stepping down would be the right thing to do.
Speaking to our correspondent, Melaye said Saraki was being persecuted by some people, which he failed to name. According to him, the Senate would henceforth consider the action as an attack on the institution.
He said: “What is going on is not prosecution, but persecution. I want to make it categorically clear that this is not Saraki, but the institution called Senate. This is not about the person of Saraki, but an affront to us.
“We will no longer fold our arms and watch things. We are going to handle it as an attack on the Senate. We want to assure Nigerians that this too shall pass. Anyone contemplating change in leadership is a daydreamer,” he said.
However, Marafa said he would not join issues with Senator Melaye, but rather insisted that Saraki should step aside in the interest of the Senate as well as the country. “I have said it before and I am repeating it again that Saraki must resign and face his trial. As a Nigerian, what is he supposed to do? He is supposed to resign. That is the honourable thing to do. That is what is obtainable in other parts of the world. When you are accused of something, you resign and face trial.
“Nobody said he is guilty. Even the Senate has not said he is guilty. We have been very fair to him. He has exhausted all his appeals and it is clear now that he has to face trial. As a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the honourable thing to do is to resign and face trial,” he said.
Senate committee Chairman on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, also kicked against calls for Saraki’s resignation. He said there was no leadership crisis in the Senate, hence, there was no reason for him to step aside.
TWO days after the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal filed by Senate President Bukola Saraki challenging the constitutionality of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to try him over alleged false assets declaration, members of the Upper Legislative Chamber were divided on his fate.
The lawmakers were split over whether or not Saraki should resign.
While two Saraki’s supporters, Senators Dino Melaye and Samuel Anyanwu, are against the agitation for his resignation, his rival, Senator Kabiru Marafa, believes that stepping down would be the right thing to do.
Speaking to our correspondent, Melaye said Saraki was being persecuted by some people, which he failed to name. According to him, the Senate would henceforth consider the action as an attack on the institution.
He said: “What is going on is not prosecution, but persecution. I want to make it categorically clear that this is not Saraki, but the institution called Senate. This is not about the person of Saraki, but an affront to us.
“We will no longer fold our arms and watch things. We are going to handle it as an attack on the Senate. We want to assure Nigerians that this too shall pass. Anyone contemplating change in leadership is a daydreamer,” he said.
However, Marafa said he would not join issues with Senator Melaye, but rather insisted that Saraki should step aside in the interest of the Senate as well as the country. “I have said it before and I am repeating it again that Saraki must resign and face his trial. As a Nigerian, what is he supposed to do? He is supposed to resign. That is the honourable thing to do. That is what is obtainable in other parts of the world. When you are accused of something, you resign and face trial.
“Nobody said he is guilty. Even the Senate has not said he is guilty. We have been very fair to him. He has exhausted all his appeals and it is clear now that he has to face trial. As a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the honourable thing to do is to resign and face trial,” he said.
Senate committee Chairman on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, also kicked against calls for Saraki’s resignation. He said there was no leadership crisis in the Senate, hence, there was no reason for him to step aside.
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