The verdict of the Supreme Court which validated the trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, has triggered a showdown between Saraki loyalists and the Senate Unity Forum ahead of the resumption of plenary next Tuesday.
Investigations revealed that trouble started when some senators who are loyal to Saraki, held a meeting on Sunday evening and decided to issue a statement declaring their full support for the embattled Senate President.
But the senators incurred the wrath of their colleagues
in the Senate Unity Forum following their statement declaring the support of the entire Senate for Saraki. The statement signed by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, indicated that it was the position of the Senate to support Saraki and judged him innocent of charges levelled against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau.
The statement partly read, “That from the beginning of the trial last September, we have declared that this case is not about any fight against corruption; it is simply a case of political vendetta.
“Our position remains the same. We still believe that the case is politically-motivated.
“We also noted that the decision of the Supreme Court given last Friday was on preliminary matters arising from the commencement of the trial. The trial proper has yet to begin..."
But the spokesperson for the Senate Unity Forum, Senator Kabir Marafa, expressed shock at the contents of the statement, saying it was the position of a few senators.
He said, “In as much as I want the whole world to know that members of the SUF do not have any personal problem with the Senate President, we believe that as lawmakers, we should respect the law. I am not aware of any meeting of senators where that decision was taken and we are not part of it.”
The statement partly read, “That from the beginning of the trial last September, we have declared that this case is not about any fight against corruption; it is simply a case of political vendetta.
“Our position remains the same. We still believe that the case is politically-motivated.
“We also noted that the decision of the Supreme Court given last Friday was on preliminary matters arising from the commencement of the trial. The trial proper has yet to begin..."
But the spokesperson for the Senate Unity Forum, Senator Kabir Marafa, expressed shock at the contents of the statement, saying it was the position of a few senators.
He said, “In as much as I want the whole world to know that members of the SUF do not have any personal problem with the Senate President, we believe that as lawmakers, we should respect the law. I am not aware of any meeting of senators where that decision was taken and we are not part of it.”
Also, a ranking senator from the South-West, told Punch that the "statement is obviously a gross abuse of office on the part of the Senate spokesperson. How can you meet with a handful of senators in a private home and issue a statement on behalf of the entire 109 senators?"
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