Nigerian Senators abandon legislative duty for Saraki’s forgery trial

Senate President Bukola Saraki

Nigeria’s Senators did not report for business on
Wednesday – one of the three days the National
Assembly has for plenary in a week – for no reason
other than the resumed trial of their presiding
officers.
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and his Deputy, Ike
Ekweremadu, are facing trial for allegedly forging
Senate Rules that brought them to power in a suit
filed by the Federal Government in June before a
High Court in Abuja.
The alleged conspirators of Messrs. Saraki and
Ekweremadu were former Clerk to the National
Assembly, Salisu Maikasu, and his deputy, Benedict
Efeturi.
The trial resumed today, Wednesday, and in manner
similar to early days of Mr. Saraki’s trial at Code of
Conduct Tribunal for charges bordering on false
assets declaration, the Senate did not open for
plenary.
Not all the Senators followed Messrs. Saraki and
Ekweremadu to court today, but about 40 of them
did.
Since the National Assembly was inaugurated in
June 9 last year, the Senate has sat for 112 days,
giving an 11-day difference between the upper
legislative arm and the House of Representatives
which has sat for 123 days, including Wednesday’s
session.
In the first year, June 9, 2015 – June 9 , 2016, the
Senate and the House of Representatives sat for 96
and 104 times respectively, falling far short of 181
days required by the constitution.
Since the lawmakers failed to sit for the mandatory
181 days, lawyer and activist, Femi Falana, said they
should not be entitled to full payment.
Since the two presiding officers, Messrs Saraki and
Ekweremadu, are being tried at a time, one of the
Senators said, the Senate will continue to be shut on
the days they are going for trial.
The Senator, seeking not to be named, said the
Senate could have passed a resolution to make a
“floor member” preside in the absence of Messrs
Saraki and Ekweremadu.
“But they (the presiding officers) wouldn’t want that
so as to show that their trial has implications for
national legislative business,” said the Senator;
adding, “everybody is using power where he has
strength.”
Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi, could not be
reached on phone for comment on this story.