The intervention of the immediate past Senate President, David Mark, stopped the impeachment plot being hatched in the upper chamber against President Muhammadu Buhari by lawmakers loyal to Senate President Bukola Saraki.
This happened at the closed session of the federal lawmakers in Abuja on Tuesday.
Our correspondent learnt that some members of the Senate, which met behind closed doors for one hour after its two-week recess, had, attempted to sack Buhari before Mark pleaded with them to save the chamber from another national embarrassment.
A Senator, who was in the closed session, confided in our correspondent that trouble started when the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator David Umaru, briefed the lawmakers about the assignment given to his committee.
He said his committee had been having great difficulties in getting the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to appear before it in order to explain why he initiated legal action against the Senate presiding officers for the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Order 2015.
A ranking senator from the South-East was said to have suggested that a bench warrant be issued on Malami since it appeared that he was deliberately avoiding the Senate summons.
Some of his colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party, however, reminded him that the Inspector-General of Police might not want to carry out the order.
They were said to have argued that the alleged involvement of the Presidency would frustrate the summons of the AGF by the red chamber.
The senator said it was at that point that the South-East senator, who was said to be on the floor, shouted, “Then let’s go for the man at the helm of affairs by initiating an impeachment immediately.”
His suggestion was said to have received applause from his colleagues in the PDP and some like-minded senators, said to be loyal to Saraki.
It was learnt that Mark started pleading with his colleagues to forget about the idea, arguing that it could spell doom for the red chamber.
While Mark was said to be appealing to his colleagues, some senators, said to be loyal to Saraki, began to appeal to their colleagues in the Senate Unity Forum, who initiated the forgery suit to withdraw the case in the interest of peace.
Some of the SUF members, who took the matter to court, were said to have explained that the matter was beyond them, a statement which was said to have infuriated Senator Dino Melaye, who urged the House to suspend the members since they were not ready to withdraw the suit.
Melaye’s statement was said to have annoyed Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who allegedly noted that the suggestion of the Kogi West Senator was childish, warning the senators against taking “kindergarten” steps that could tear the Senate into pieces.
It was learnt that Melaye did not allow Tinubu to conclude her statement when he allegedly threatened to beat up the woman if she ever addressed him in that manner again.
“Do you think I am afraid of you or Bourdillon? I will f..k you up if you ever mess with me again,” Melaye allegedly said.
Melaye’s statement allegedly threw the closed session into a rowdy session before calm was eventually restored.
Attempts to get official confirmation of the development from the Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Abdullahi, failed as calls put across to his mobile did not connect while text messages sent to him were not responded to.
Senate threatens to arrest AGF, summons SGF, ministers
Meanwhile, in what appears to be its own way of fighting back the executive arm of government, the Senate, on Tuesday, threatened to order the arrest of AGF, Malami.
Also on Tuesday, the upper chamber of the National Assembly summoned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, over his comments that the constituency projects might not be implemented because of dwindling resources of the government.
In the same vein, the Senate Committee on Appropriation had also asked the Finance Minister, Mrs. Olukemi Adeosun, and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, to come and brief them on the 2016 Budget performance.
As its first plenary after its recess on Tuesday, Saraki expressed the determination of the red chamber to use all constitutional powers to compel the AGF to appear before the federal parliamentarians.
He stated this while ruling on the report by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator David Umaru, who expressed the frustration of his panel to bring Malami to appear before it.
The Senate, through a resolution, had summoned Malami to explain the reasons why his ministry decided to prosecute the Senate presiding officers and two top management staff of the National Assembly over the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Order 2015.
Umaru requested more time to submit his report, saying the AGF had sent the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, to the committee.
Saraki stated, “A situation where the number one judiciary officer of the country will be the one that will be flouting the Constitution is unacceptable. Section 89 (c) of the Constitution is very clear. But it appears from what you are saying that the Attorney General is requesting one more chance to be given to appear before you.
“I think as a Senate, it is always in the progress of development, and as such, we will do that and ensure that he does come this time, otherwise we will have no choice but to follow the constitution strictly.
“So, you will report back to us before the end of the week to let us know the status of that situation. And if that does not happen, we will go ahead and go in line with the constitution clearly.”
Umaru had reminded his colleagues about the Senate resolution, mandating the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to invite the AGF to appear before it and explain the reasons for preferring charges against the principal officers of the Senate.
He said, “In line with the directive, we, in fact, invited the Honourable Attorney General first on June 23 and on that date, he did not appear but a letter was received by our committee to the effect that he needed more time to articulate his position and that he was out of the country.
“The committee obliged him. We scheduled another meeting for the June 30. On that day distinguished colleagues, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice did not appear before the committee.
“However, somebody who claimed to be Mr. Obla (Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla,) appeared to say that he was appearing on behalf of the minister. The committee therefore told him that he was not an invitee and that we would not attend to him and we asked him to leave.
“Senator Ita Enang had informed me that the Attorney General regrets his inability to respond to our petition and that he requests time to appear before us.
“I think it is important for the distinguished colleagues to be informed about this development and for us to request more time to give him the opportunity to appear since he has indicated his willingness to appear before the committee.”
The decision to summon the SGF followed the adoption of the prayers as contained in the point of order raised by the PDP member representing Edo South, Senator Matthew Urhoghide.
Urhoghide had observed that the statement of Lawal that constituency projects might not be implemented because of paucity of funds was capable of frustrating the activities of the federal lawmakers.
The Senator, who came under Order 44, described the statement as unfortunate, arguing that the “threat”, if carried out, would be a gross violation of the Appropriation Act, saying the projects involved were already in the 2016 Budget.
He said the statement of the SGF was capable of ensuring that some sections of the country were sidelined in the execution of projects.
Bala Ibn Na’Allah and Abiodun Olujimi, who seconded Urhoghide’s motion, noted that the SGF’s statement was unhealthy for the nation’s democracy.
Na’Allah, however, cautioned his colleagues against taking a hasty decision as the SGF was an improper authority to speak on the issue of budget.
He said, “It is precise to recognise certain issues that are very fundamental. This Senate is aware that the SGF is not the finance minister. This Senate is equally aware that he is not a Minister of Budget. This senate is equally aware that he is an improper authority in this matter.”
But Olujimi countered Na’Allah’s submission, stressing that whatever statement credited to the SGF automatically represented the position of the Federal Government.
Olujimi said, “The SGF is the highest administrative nominee of this government and whatever comes out of his mouth must be a policy statement that has to do with government.
“In the last few months, we have had an SGF that has been speaking carelessly and has been meddling in the affairs of the other tiers of government and that is not right, Mr. President.”
She accused the SGF of sundry infractions, which included describing the 2014 National Conference as “job for the boys”.
She said, “The next thing he will do is to say constituency projects, that have been approved by this red chamber, will not be properly implemented.
“That is unbecoming and there is a need to call a spade a spade. The SGF has not been representing the government well.
“If we are here to represent our people we also deserve to be honoured and respected by that token that is given to us to give back to them. We are not going to take it from anybody.”
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Danjuma Goje, informed the lawmakers that the committee had already asked Adeosun and Udoma to appear before it and brief them about the 2016 Budget performance.
He said, “I feel very embarrassed. He shouldn’t have made that statement. Without prejudice to the motion, let the SGF come and explain. In addition, we in Appropriation had already sent an invitation to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Budget to come and clarify and give us an update on the budget implementation as a whole.
“What was passed is an Act of the National Assembly, assented to by Mr. President. And if that law is not going to be implemented, we have to know why. We have invited them; they are appearing before the Appropriation on Thursday personally, without any representation.”
Ruling on the order, Saraki said the SGF must appear before the Senate joint committees on ethics and privileges, appropriation and finance to handle the matter and report back to the chamber before the end of the week.
Saraki added, “The prayer is that the SGF should come before those three committees to explain the comments, led by the Chairman, Committee on Ethics and Privileges in collaboration with Finance and Appropriation (committees) and report back by the end of the week.”
AGF will appear before Senate Wednesday, says aide
Meanwhile, the AGF will appear before members of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on Wednesday, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Salihu Isah, confirmed to The PUNCH on Tuesday.
Isah said this while responding to the threat of arrest issued against the AGF by the Senate committee on Tuesday.
Responding to our correspondent’s inquiry, he said, “The issue of arrest does not arise because the AGF had already scheduled to appear before the committee tomorrow (Wednesday).
“As we have explained before, the inability of the AGF to attend previous proceedings was because he was outside the country.
“The executive does not have any problem with the legislature.
“Both arms of government will continue to enjoy good working relation.”
END
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