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  • Saraki and PDP: Rocky days in a political romance

    Saraki and PDP: Rocky days in a political romance

    In the heat of the screening and confirmation of ministerial nominees by the Senate penultimate week, Senate President Bukola Saraki, outmanouvered the minority Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senate caucus led by former Akwa Ibom Governor, Godswill Akpabio. In spite of the stiff opposition mounted by the PDP senators, he supervised the confirmation of their bitter political foe, former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The development, coming few days after most of the PDP senators had accompanied Saraki to appear at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, (CCT) in continuation of his trial for alleged false declaration of assets when he was Kwara State governor, left the trust of many of the opposition senators in Saraki’s leadership severely shaken.

    Consequently, some of them made statements that hinted of a serious crack in the political marriage between the Kwara-born politician and his main support base in the National Assembly – the PDP caucus.

    “At the end of the confirmation of ministerial nominees earlier screened by the Senate with the President on October 30, with Senate President Bukola Saraki presiding, very few PDP senators were still in doubt that they had been taken on a ride by Saraki and and his caucus in the senate. It dawned on them that they may have been used and dumped, especially with the way Amaechi was confirmed in spite of their objection.

    “Don’t forget that Saraki managed to emerge head of the 8th National Assembly last June and also hold on to the position with the support of the PDP and its senators – and all these were not without prior discussions and agreements. His decision to ignore the wishes of his erstwhile strongest support base will definitely not be without consequences,” a National Assembly source told The Nation.

    Days before the final confirmation exercise commenced, PDP senators left nobody in doubt that they were ready for a showdown over the confirmation of two of the remaining 16 ministerial nominees namely former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi and the ministerial nominee from Cross River State, Usani Uguru. The twosome had been caught up in a grudge war with some hurting PDP senators from their home states.

    While Amaechi is held in contempt by the PDP Senate caucus for both his role in the defeat of the former ruling party in the last round of elections and his ongoing political battle with the party in Rivers State, Uguru angered the PDP Senate caucus when, during his screening, he said “God forbid” to a question as to his membership of the PDP.

    It was, however, learnt that the majority All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus led by the Senate President, was determined to weigh in on behalf of the two nominees, especially Amaechi, an age-long political ally of Saraki’s. Information emanating from the opposing political camps indicated a looming face-off during the confirmation exercise and that was exactly what happened.

    Saraki forewarned

    The PDP Senate caucus held a meeting where they reportedly took a position against the confirmation of Amaechi. The senators were said to have resolved not to consider Amaechi’s nomination unless the report of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges on the petitions filed against the former Rivers State governor was brought forward for consideration first.

    More significantly, a decision was reportedly taken to inform the Senate President that should he ensure the confirmation of Amaechi, the PDP caucus will have no choice but to withdraw their support for him forthwith. No doubt, the PDP caucus made a good job of making their position known to Saraki and his allies. While it cannot be confirmed if it was officially or personally communicated to him, the media was awash with stories about the decision of the senators to fight Saraki over Amaechi.

    The PDP senators’ plot against Amaechi rested mainly on the report by a senate committee opposing his screening in the first place. The ethics committee of the Senate headed by a PDP Senator, Samuel Anyanwu, advised that Amaechi’s screening and confirmation be left till the end of the cases of alleged corruption he has in court.

    “During our caucus meeting, Chairman of the Ethics Committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, briefed us on the report of his committee. He made it clear that the committee recommended that since the issue regarding Amaechi’s petition was in court, the Senate should suspend action on his screening, pending the resolution of the court issues.

    “So, we were surprised that he was even screened at all. It is on the strength of this that we resolved to insist on the committee report being discussed before any talk of confirming him or not. We were so sure that with such a recommendation by the committee, it would be difficult for the APC senators to rail road his confirmation.”

    So, with the caucus so sure that it had something strong against the confirmation of Amaechi, it proceeded with plans to stop him at all cost, and this included wielding the big stick against Saraki by threatening to dump him should he come to the aid of their ‘cornered’ victim, Amaechi, in any way during the confirmation exercise. Aside these, the PDP caucus reportedly lobbied some APC senators perceived to be opposed to Amaechi, to join in the move to prevent his emergence as a Minister.

    But the ruling APC caucus took up the challenge and dared their PDP colleagues to do their worst. Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, went to town and lampooned senators elected on the platform of his former party, the PDP, saying that the 8th Senate belonged to the APC, the party with the majority lawmakers in both the upper and lower houses.

    He reminded the PDP that it had become a minority – meaning the majority would always have its way. He equally warned that opposition could not disqualify Amaechi based on what he described as triviality instead of the constitution. He added that Amaechi had not been convicted by any court of law.

    Ndume boasted that the senators would determine the fate of Amaechi and not the report of Senator Samuel Anyanwu-led Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions. Ndume’s utterances confirmed fears that PDP and APC senators would flex muscles over Amaechi. With bated breadth Nigerians waited for the confirmation screening.

    Saraki’s sin

    In all the verbal exchanges between the APC and the PDP senators, the voice of the Senate President was not heard. His media office neither responded to the threat by PDP senators nor to the counter position by APC caucus. Mum was the word from the senate’s seat of power. Consequently, nothing could be deciphered from the body language of the number one senator until the very moment when Amaechi’s fate was to be decided.

    When it eventually commenced, the confirmation exercise had the trappings of a chess game with the atmosphere tense as the resolve of the two camps to have their way over the Amaechi issue could nearly be felt physically. After over an hour closed door executive session, the senators were ready to debate the confirmation of the man from Rivers State.

    From the onset, the two camps could not agree. Aware that all eyes were on him, the Senate President meandered though the two enemy lines safely for about two hours as tension gathered. Finally, despite efforts to resolve the issue, the PDP senators, led by the Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, staged a walkout when Amaechi was to be eventually confirmed as the APC senators snubbed the recommendations of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

    The committee recommended thus: “That since the ministerial nominee had gone to the Court of Appeal , to challenge the content of the petition and the white paper of the judicial commission of inquiry, the Senate is unable to recommend the consideration of his confirmation. “That the Senate do consider and adopt the recommendation as proposed by the committee”.

    But the Senate through a motion moved by the Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume ( APC Borno South), moved in the direction of killing the report without any debate which ignited uproar from the PDP senators.

    Ndume who predicated his motion on one of the findings/ observations made in the report, said since all allegations levelled against Amaechi are before a competent court of jurisdiction, the senate should in line with its own rule ( Order 41(7) , ignore the report but confirm Amaechi as Minister like the 17 others earlier confirmed.

    Thus, Amaechi became a Minister designate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Saraki failed the loyalty test posed to him by the PDP caucus in the senate. To many observers, that development may have signaled the possible collapse of the political alliance that has sustained the Senate President in office since last June.

    A crack in the wall?

    Giving the first indication of a possible crack in the wall, the angry PDP senators, once outside the chambers, shocked Nigerians by saying they never supported the emergence of Saraki as Senate President, contrary to what was widely believed. They said the luck Saraki had was that he was returned unopposed as Senate President.

    The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Akpabio, made the statement while explaining what transpired at the confirmation exercise. He also accused Saraki of presiding over illegalities in the hallowed chamber. Akpabio said the PDP caucus staged a walk-out during the confirmation of Amaechi, and 17 others because they did not want to participate in illegality.

    He added that PDP senators decided not to participate i?n a charade. “We never supported Saraki during the election because he was returned unopposed. We staged a walk-out because we felt that there is total breach in the law. You will notice that our colleagues never wanted to hear our views.”

    For an alliance that was so solid that it had seen Saraki enjoying the total support of PDP senators all the while in forms of votes of confidence and being escorted by to the law courts, the outburst by Akpabio and his colleagues came with more meaning than could be deciphered immediately. Expectedly, political analysts have set about digging deeper into that and many other utterances of the angry PDP senators ever since.

    According to former secretary of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP) in Kwara State, Alhaji Saka Bio, “Akpabio and his men left the chamber disappointed after hours of appealing to Saraki’s judgement, sentiment and emotion to tow their line in the argument against Amaechi. As a caucus that had supported him whole heartedly since he came on board, they were hoping he will repay their loyalty with similar acts during that all important test of wills. But he didn’t and they were badly bruised.

    “No doubt, the development will affect then political alliance between Saraki and the PDP caucus. Forget what some of the PDP senators have been saying on the matter. It is politically convenient for them to profess personal loyalty to the Senate President especially at a time when the Senate committee list was being awaited. But when the caucus calls on them to stand up and be counted, they will tow party line as usual.”

    “Trust politicians, they wasted no time in sending messages to Saraki and his camp that it may no longer be business as usual. Imagine Akpabio saying they didn’t make Saraki Senate President. All this while, the PDP caucus left no one in doubt that they relish their role in Saraki’s emergence against the wishes of his party. Now, they are quick to disown him. This is just a sign of things to come.”

    Confirming the soured relationship between the PDP caucus and the Saraki camp, a senator from Enugu State told The Nation that the Senate President’s brazen disregard for the feelings and position of the PDP senators on the Amaechi issue was unfortunate. According to him, “the development is definitely capable of altering the political equations in the senate.

    “We are all politicians and alliances are formed for political bargaining powers. If we are giving the impression that we were wrong in taking some decisions in the past, either individually or collectively, we are bound to retrace our steps. It is obvious that what happened smacks of political let down and disappointment. But it is also expected in politics and we are bound to address issues as they come,” he said.

    The senator also added that before the confirmation exercise, the Senate President has made several efforts to get the PDP senators to back down on their agitation against Amaechi.  According to him and some other sources Saraki made spirited attempts ahead of the Thursday plenary to get the Senate minority leader, Godswill Akpabio and other PDP senators to his side on the Amaechi issues, but the opposition senators refused to give in ahead of that day’s sitting.

    “Sincerely, we were hoping that Saraki would sustain the provisions of Senate Standing orders 41(7) as well as Order 53(5) which prohibit the Senate from debating on issues on which are in court. But we were taken aback when the Senate leader sided with the ruling party when the chips were down, thus making us PDP senators to express our disappointment,” he added.

    Told that the press conference held by PDP senators after walking out of the chamber sounded as if their friendship with Saraki was over, our source said: “I’m sure you were not there when the so called alliance was formed, so I am also certain you wouldn’t be there when it will be dissolved or strengthened as the case may be. It is too early to talk about that. One thing that is certain is that we were disappointed by what happened and we said so openly.”

    Attempted truce, more troubles

    Conscious of the effect of the development on his relationship with the PDP caucus in the Senate and willing to prevent the collapse of an alliance that has profited him immensely, Saraki, according to sources, tried to broker a truce with opposition senators following the acrimonious confirmation of Amaechi as a minister.

    The Nation learnt that reconciliation effort commenced almost immediately and that the Senate president had reached out to the PDP legislators to sustain their friendship. According to sources, the statement made by Akpabio at the press conference same day left the Saraki camp in no doubt that all was not well. “And that informed the immediate effort by the Senate President to reach out to our aggrieved colleagues,” a Senator close to Saraki said.

    Another source added that: “It is obvious that there is need for the Senate President to reach out to the PDP caucus after that rancorous exercise. As the leader of the senate, he owes the National Assembly that. Saraki is not unmindful of the friendship between him and the PDP senators and he is not taking that for granted. He has immediately reached out to the senators and assured them that party loyalty was responsible for his actions. I think they are resolving the grievances.”

    It was also gathered that although talks were still ongoing between the two camps, the PDP senators had expected that Saraki would “make up for the lapses” in the distribution of the chairmanship of senate standing committees which was yet to be announced as at then.

    But the announcement of the committees, according to insiders may have added to the anger of the PDP senators if their reactions are anything to go by. It was learnt that Saraki allegedly reneged on an earlier agreement to share the committee chairmanship nearly equally between the ruling APC and the minority PDP caucuses in the assembly.

    But when the Senate President announced the much-expected standing committees and named their chairmen, the expectation of the PDP senators were again dashed.  According to the list released during the week, Sixty-five senators in the 109-member chamber were named as chairmen. APC senators got 41 chairmanship positions and 24 slots went to their colleagues from the opposition PDP.

    With the inauguration of Senator Kaka Garbai (Borno Central) during the week, the ruling APC now has 60 senators against PDP’s 49. The North Central geo-political zone, with 13 chairmanship positions, got the highest portfolios. The South West, North West and North East got 11 slots each and the South East and South South got 10 positions each.

    Although no condemnation of the sharing formula has been heard from the PDP caucus, sources within the National Assembly insist there is disquiet over the number given to the PDP. “The decision of the senate leadership to give less than the agreed 40% of the chairmanship positions to the PDP is a breach of an earlier agreement and this is unacceptable to the party caucus in the senate.

    “Aside the alliance you are talking about, you must not forget that PDP has 41 senators out of 109 members of the assembly. That is about 40%. So how could that amount to just 21 seats out of 65? While the PDP senators are silent about it now, I can assure you the last is yet to be heard of the matter. For now, the relationship between Saraki and the caucus is further strained,” our source claimed.

    PDP’s loss, APC’s gain?

    With the strained relationship between Saraki and the PDP senators and perceived efforts by the Senate President to protect the interests of his party this time in both the confirmation exercise and the sharing of committee positions, many analysts are of the opinion that he may have bought himself goodwill and possibly secured an opening for potential forgiveness of his past misdeeds against the APC.

    In the same vein, many are certain that his action is capable of putting him into trouble should he fail to secure the forgiveness and subsequent support of his party while also losing the backing of the PDP caucus with which he has sustained his position for so long.

    “You can imagine what will happen if he has no support of the PDP caucus and his fight against APC persists. Who will pass votes of confidence on him? Who will escort him to the tribunal? Who will speak on his behalf when his party men drag his image in the mud? It is a tight one for the Senate President indeed. But one can only hope he doesn’t lose on both sides,” Bio explained.

    However, another observer, Comrade Bayo Agbokiki of the Saraki Vanguard, said he is certain the Senate President will come out of the current confusion stronger than ever. According to him, Saraki is a smart political strategist and he has realized the need to garner the support of his party as the leader of the National Assembly.

    “The Senate President is a politician of note who is always conscious of the implications of his actions. He is very much aware of all the confusion currently in the senate and he is working seriously towards allaying all fears. He is not just an APC senator, he is the Senate President and he has the responsibility of carrying everybody along irrespective of party affiliations.

    “Now, it is obvious that he is a party man and he respects his party’s wishes contrary to what some mischief makers want us to believe. However, given his position, there is need to balance all interests and expectations within and outside the senate. That is what has to be done and that is exactly what he is trying hard to do in the interest of a peaceful and all inclusive senate,” he said.

    And as if to further strengthen his ties with the APC while risking his relationship with PDP, Saraki again debunked speculations about his alleged plan to return to PDP as “absurd and laughable”. The Senate President said it would be abnormal for him to go back to a party he left while it was the ruling party now that it is an opposition party.

    “It is just cheap blackmail by political adversaries who want to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it. And those making such desperate allegations should remember that I willingly left the PDP on matters of principles when the party was in power. Is it now that the party is out of government and in opposition that I will now return having worked so hard for my party in the last general elections?”

    This is just as some of chieftains of the ruling party continue to urge him to end his dalliance with the opposition party and concentrate on ensuring that the senate supports the change agenda of the APC.

    Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, while urging Saraki to work for his party always, said his alliance with the PDP was dangerous for President Muhammadu Buhari. In his view, the political romance will create inhibitions for the Buhari administration. Kwankwaso feared the PDP will use the opportunity of the alliance with Saraki to create hurdles for Buhari.

    He said: “You see, first of all, the President will face a lot of irritations in the sense that these people must be very angry with themselves, they must be very angry with Nigerians and, therefore, will do everything possible to put all sorts of hurdles on the way of Mr. President. That is obvious.

    “I can always read their mind. I was one of them, I was part of them, I was part of the party but we had to leave the party because of this attitude. So, in some of the books that I read, especially Islamic books,  there are things that we call Sadaqatuljariya (doing charitable deeds like building schools, hospital, throughout your life) and you will be getting reward and even after you die.

    “These sorts of mistakes are what we call Musibatuljariya. It is so bad and it is a bad thing that will continue to occur until the system goes to end because they have their own agenda to tackle the APC, to tackle the APC government, they are angry with themselves, they are angry with the people and Nigeria because they feel Nigeria belongs to them and they wanted to take everything and Nigerians rejected them.”

    As things stand, many questions remained unanswered and only time will tell what will become of the alliance between Saraki and his colleagues in his former party, the opposition PDP. Time will also reveal whether he has done enough – between the Amaechi episode and the sharing of committees – to work his way back into the good books of his party.

     

  • PDP’s umbrella and Saraki’s dilemma

    PDP’s umbrella and Saraki’s dilemma

    This write-up is not aimed at maligning any personality or political organization. Its aim is to enlighten the State and political class across all interested parties on the reality of national self-affliction and national self-destruction through ignorance of the power, utility, and astral divinity of symbols within the ambit of culture. What is more, it is aimed at hinting on a core duty of the State never to underestimate the institution of Culture-particularly the luminous non-material dimensions-as a matter of intelligence; for it is more strategic in the art of governance and human development than the State institutions of education and the military.

    In this piece, the symbol in focus is the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) umbrella logo. It will be examined in relation to the scope of party symbols and sub-conscious frequency with regard to its influence on human consciousness and social order. In nature, there is an etheric order of civic symbols that determine the course of human consciousness, cultures, and destiny. Examples of such symbols are Logos and Coats of Arms which operate through the non-material gate of the sub-conscious mind. The gate of influence of the non-material order of nature on man is the human mind, which, for the purpose of this article, will be referred to as Ori inu eda.  Ori inu is the determinant of Iwa as a psychological dimension of human character.

    THE PDP LOGO

    The PDP’s umbrella is constituted by colours: green, white and red. It is placed in suspension. For this reason, its base is deemed to be the air. Therefore, the Logo’s frequency is to be examined as elemental and horticultural phenomena. The umbrella is a tool for temporary use as shield or shelter against rain and unbearable sunrays. It is born of mental creative energy which is evoked in the artistic imitation of the tree (and its function as a shelter), just like the aeroplane is an imitation of the fusion of birds and dolphins, robots as imitations of man, and the camera as an imitation of the human eye in relation to perception of images, blinks of eyes, and memory.

    In the cosmic frequency of the umbrella’s influence on human consciousness within the PDP and their social extension, the operation is bound to occur through the third (astral) and fourth (physical) planes of natural consciousness. Hence, in the ascendancy of reasoning, the PDP is expected to be limited to the dictates of astral frequency which, by the order of nature, is dependent on a horticultural frequency.

    The horticultural frequency essentially deals with relations of the umbrella to a tree and a consequent indication of a forest by extension. In its social sequence, primitive consciousness is indicated. In such primordial state of being, the early man’s primitive instinct is a related psychological potential characteristic of members of the forest society. The animal kingdom is therefore set to reflect the astral frequency, in effect, on the psychology of human members of such forest society. The principal animal frequencies are expected to be in accordance to hierarchy of species in physical association and mythologies.

    Although, man, by the order of nature, is positioned to be a principality; however, in the order of creation, he is the last creature created in available legends, and all other creatures precede him. This is a reason why he is vulnerable to astral conquest by animal images in his dream experiences, sorcery, and Iwa-i.e., general existence of man in mind-body relations-as exquisitely exemplified in the symbolism of serpent in the Garden of Eden according to biblical mythology.

    The animal principalities that are essential to understanding the destiny and culture of the PDP, and which directly relate to the present course of analysis, are the king of reptiles, beasts, birds, rodents and insects. However, in this piece, only the beasts will be discussed with necessary limitation. Of the beasts, reference is to be made to the lion and tiger as kings of the beasts and jungles respectively.

    The base of trees’ existence is the earth. Therefore, the umbrella and tree astral metaphor connotes a state of natural co-existence of humans with all ranges of lower animals. At the juncture of human relations to symbol, the tree’s nature with regard to the human society is to be examined from the socio-political philosophical perspectives of the ‘state of nature’ and ‘social contract’ that is reminiscent of Thomas Hobbes position on life being ‘nasty’ ‘brutish’ and ‘short’.

    PDP LOGO’S PROBLEMA-TIC EVOLUTION

    The biggest problems of the PDP are indicated in the umbrella’s horticultural and astral frequencies. In the PDP’s history, based on the culture of lions, insecurity of leadership within the organization is indicated and evident. Leadership within the party can never be stable, but expected to suffer the fate of heads of lion prides. In the kingdom of lions, once a male builds enough courage and back up, he leads conspiracies and ambushes to overthrow the heads of a pride he aspires to control.

    If successful, the predecessor’s legacy is destroyed to pave way for a new one before another challenger ousts the ruling lion. While the lion psychology prevails in the PDP cosmic factor, the tiger cannot be ignored because it belongs to the big cat family. It is also parallel in authority to, and potentially greater than, the lion. Where Zodiac Leos of the party are not in the frontline, the zodiac tigers play out the central lion energy in the current evolution. Under the spell of the umbrella, the tiger is the principal ally of the lion on a temporal basis of the ‘will to power’. Any course outside this, the tiger becomes a nightmare of the lions, thus making the tiger a dispensable ally by chance in time.

    As a dominant astral image, the lion essence determines the destiny of the PDP in time. The life span of the male lion is 12-16 years, while that of the female is 15 to 18 years. With regard to this write-up, analysis will be limited to the male essence; for an overwhelming majority of the party players are male. It is important to be cognizant of the fact that the PDP lost political authority at the presidency precisely at the close of sixteen years of national leadership. This historical fact is a strong case of probable determination of destiny by astral and numerological symbols!

    SARAKI’S DILEMMA

    As a metaphysical rule, every member of any society has a share of ‘lot’ within the karma of such society. After an exit from an organization that is characterized by strong cosmic ties, it takes time to be free from karmic lot. Where, for example, a person held an office of authority in a society, like Saraki as Governor under PDP, he shares a big lot of the party’s Karma and it will take time and cultivation of the higher self to subdue the negative vibration in a space of time. ‘Once upon a time’ PDP members whose ayanmo related astral signs fall within the categories of tree axis non-human inhabitants are bound to remain under the spell of the umbrella even after exiting the party. What is more, personal astral frequencies will seal the dimension of subconscious influence. Hence, the potentially most negative characteristic manifestation of ex-PDP members in other parties are to be found within the third Trine of Chinese zodiac signs of the ‘tiger’, ‘horse’ and ‘dog’ who have a high capacity for rebellion.

    By fate, aided by the external and personal astral frequencies, Dr. Bukola Saraki was  positioned to be driven by the lion instinct with regard to ambition and will to power. Under the spell of the umbrella, an inclination to Lordship in the spirit of the PDP forest lion is assumed to have moved him to apprehend his desired position by force of self will-to-power. In Ifa metaphysics, it is stated that ayanmo ko gboogun. This means natural determinism must inevitably take its course in nature. An important dimension of ayanmo in this regard is the human birth data which is naturally unchangeable. Dr. Saraki was born on December 19, 1962.  By this data, his Chinese zodiac sign is the tiger-king of the jungle. It is interesting to note that in the alleged conspiracy through which he emerged as Senate president, his Deputy, Senator Ekweremadu, who was born on May 12, 1962, is also a zodiac tiger. This phenomenon may appear to be a coincidence; however, it is a strong indication, and an affirmation of the presumption, of the PDP’s lion psychology and mastery of conspiracy and ambush.

    As a matter of destiny, ogun afomo (problem arising from magnetic attraction of PDP’s umbrella to the conscious mind) induced Dr. Saraki’s will to ogun afowofa (war staged against oneself) which is also caused by Akunleyan (choice) with regard to the fact that the use of logos and symbols in human culture precedes his existence as Adayeba (inherited culture). In this respect, the use of logos in culture is Adayese (culture); and Ori-human consciousness in spirit and of the mind-is the prescribed object of reliance to secure the best possible human destination.

    However, Ori’s security in this regard lies in the spirit of God’s Wisdom which, in anthropomorphic constructs of Yoruba mythology, is Orunmila-a tun ori ti ko suwon se (the redeemer of unfortunate destinies) through inspirational guidance towards making right choices. In order to save itself and Nigeria, it will be profitable for the PDP to extinguish its logo and set all individuals under its spells free from its art-error inspired cosmic and sub-conscious bondage of affliction and the lower self. Expectedly, this necessary transformation is bound to be a win-win for all: the APC, PDP, other political parties, the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the international community.

    • Olumide Okunmakinde Esq

    Institute of Cultural Studies, O.A.U, Ile-Ife

    e-mail: okunmakinde@gmail.com

  • Court dismisses Saraki’s fresh bid to stop trial

    Court dismisses Saraki’s fresh bid to stop trial

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday dismissed a fresh application by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to stop his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    Justice Ibrahim Buba held that he lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

    He said it ought to have been filed in Abuja where the cause of action took place.

    The judge said Saraki could not prove that his rights were about to be violated in Lagos.

    “He has to proffer the reason for the court to hold that his right is about to be violated in Lagos State. The key word is ‘state’,” said the judge.

    The Attorney-General of the Federation, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and Inspector-General of Police were the respondents.

    Others were – the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), the CCT, its chairman Justice Danladi Umar, and members Mr. Ataedze Adza, Mr. Sam Saba, Mohammed Diri and Mr. M.S. Hassan.

    Saraki, through his lawyer Ajibola Oluyede, had sought a declaration that his trial at the CCT falls short of the requirements of Article 3 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.

    He said there was “clear appearance of bias” against him, as well as an “apparent pursuit of a pre-determined agenda for the humiliation and conviction of the applicant.”

    The Senate President sought an order nullifying the charges at the CCT, and an order restraining the tribunal from continuing with his trial.

    The applicant prayed the court to restrain the AGF, EFCC, Saba, Diri and Hassan from continuing with the trial at CCT or any other judicial forum.

    He further sought a declaration that the “obvious subjugation and use of the respondents against the applicant for the political objectives of the ruling political party at the federal level, the All Progressives Congress, amounts to an exercise of executive power for ulterior motives and not for the public good.”

    According to Oluyede, the respondents are humiliating and prosecuting Saraki on trumped up charges “with the intention of securing his removal, impeachment and or resignation from office as Senate President.”

    He said the respondents’ actions constituted an infringement of the applicant’s fundamental rights to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and to be given a fair hearing by an impartial tribunal.

     

  • Saraki’s lawyers walk out on tribunal for refusing to stay proceedings

    Saraki’s lawyers walk out on tribunal for refusing to stay proceedings

    Proceedings in the trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct tribunal (CCT) ended abruptly on Thursday after a team of 26 lawyers that represented him walked out on the tribunal after it refused their application to suspend proceedings.

    The defence team, which included three Senior Advocates of Nigeria – Saka Issau , Mahmud Magaji and Ahmed Raji  – had applied to the tribunal to suspend hearing pending the Supreme Court’s determination of an appeal filed on November 2.

    But the tribunal, in a ruling rejected the defence’s application on the grounds that no date was fixed yet for the hearing of the appeal and that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, in Section 306 prohibits the granting of stay of proceedings in criminal trial.

    Saraki is facing a 13-count charge of alleged false declaration of assets.

    In what was a clear departure from what happened at the last proceedings, where it took the intervention of his lawyer before he could enter the accused box, the Senate President went straight into the box, without being prompted, when the case was called on Thursday.

    When the proceedings commenced, the prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that the business of the day was the report of the October 30 judgment by the Appeal Court in the appeal filed by Saraki.

    Jacobs said since the appellate court has affirmed the tribunal’s jurisdiction to try Saraki, it was incumbent on the tribunal to proceed with the trial.

    He said his witnesses were in court and ready to testify.

    Magaji told the court that his client has appealed the Appeal Court’s decision at the Supreme Court and has equally applied to the apex court to stay the proceedings before the tribunal.

    He said although no date has been given for the hearing of his client’s appeal and application, it is important for the tribunal to suspend proceedings until when Supreme Court rules on the appeal.

     

  • Saraki: Tribunal suspends proceedings to rule on application

    Saraki: Tribunal suspends proceedings to rule on application

    The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT)  on Thursday suspended proceedings for an hour to return for ruling on Senate President Bukola Saraki’s application for stay of proceedings pending the determination of his appeal before the Supreme Court.

    More details soon

  • Saraki names 65 Senate committees

    Saraki names 65 Senate committees

    The much expected standing committees for the Senate were announced on Wednesday by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators got 41 Chairmanship positions while the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senators were given 24 chairmanship portfolios.

    With the inauguration of Borno Central Senator Senator Kaka Garbai, APC now has 60 Senators in the chamber while PDP has 49 Senators.

    Former Senate President, Senator David Mark was neither named chairman nor vice chairman of any committee.

    No reason was given for Mark’s missing on the list of committees but insiders said that Mark might have declined to head any of the committees.

    While Senator Danjuma Goje (APC) was assigned to chair the committee on Appropriation, Senator John Owan Enoh (PDP) was allocated the chairmanship of the Finance committee.

    Senator Donald Omotayo Alaosoadura (APC) got the chairmanship of committee on Petroleum (Upstream) while Senator Uche Lilian Ekwunife (PDP) is to head the committee on Petroleum (Downstream).

    Saraki is Chairman Senate Selection Committee, a body of principal officers of the upper chamber with the responsibility to allocate the committees.

    After the announcement of the Chairmanship and Vice Chairmanship positions, Saraki adjourned the Senate till Tuesday, November 12th, 2015.

    The Senate President did not give any reason for the adjournment.

    Findings however showed that the adjournment might have been informed by the trial of Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) which resumes on Thursday.

    Former Chairman, Senate Ad-hoc committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Dino Melaye, however said that the Senate adjourned to allow its four ad-hoc committees to conclude their assignment and submit their reports next week.

    Break down of the committee sharing showed that Senator Babajide Omoworare (Osun East) retained the chairmanship of Committee on Rules and Business with Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume as Vice Chairman.

    Senator Ibrahim Gobir (Sokoto East) also retained the Chairmanship of the Senate Services Committee with Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North) as vice.

    Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo West) retained the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions with Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South) as Vice.

    Senator Andy Ubah (Anambra South) also retained the chairmanship of Senate Committee on Public Accounts with Senator Gbolahan Dada (Ogun West) as Vice.

    The Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence has Senator Shaaba Lafiagi as Chairman with Senator David Jang as Vice.

    The five committees listed above are statutory committees of the Senate.

    Other standing committees also named  included Senate Committee on Agriculture with Senator Abdullahi Adamu as chairman and Senator Theodore Orji as vice; Committee on Air Force has Senator Duro Samuel Faseyi as Chairman with Senator Ali Wakili as vice; Committee on Army with Senator George Akume as Chairman with Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Danbaba as vice, Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes with Senator Godfrey Chukwuka Utazi as Chairman and Senator Sani Mustapha as Vice; Committee on Appropriations with Senator Danjuma Goje as Chairman with Senator Sunny Ogbuoji as vice and Committee on Aviation with Senator Hope Uzodinma as Chairman and Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah as vice.

    Others also constituted are Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions with Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim as Chairman and Senator Achonu Nneji as vice; Committee on Capital Market with Senator Iiaka Adeleke as Chairman and Foster Ogola as vice; Committee on Communications with Senator Gilbert Nnaji as Chairman and Senator Solomon Adeola as vice; Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa and NEPAD with Senator Abubakar Sani Danladi as Chairman; Committee on Culture and Tourism with Senator Mathew Urhoghide and Senator Abubakar A.M. as vice; Committee on Customs, Excise &Tariff with Senator Adamu Aliero as Chairman and Senator Samuel Anyanwu as vice; Committee on Defence with Senator Ahmed Lawan as Chairman and Senator Jeremiah Useni as vice; Committee on Diaspora and Civil Societies with Rose Oko; Committee on Drugs and Narcotics with Senator Joshua Lidani as Chairman and Senator Philip Gyunka as vice; Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) with Senator Uche Ekwunife as Chairman and Senator Jibrin Barau as vice, Committee on Ecology & Climate Change with Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim and Senator Danjuma La’ah as vice; Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary) with Senator Aliyu Wamakko as Chairman and Senator Rose Oko as vice; Committee on Employment, Labour& Productivity with Senator Suleiman Nazif as Chairman; Committee on Environment with Senator Olaka Johnson Nwogu as Chairman and Senator Oluremi Tinubu as Vice and Committee on Establishment &Public Service with Senator Emmanuel Paulker as Chairman and Senator Suleiman Nazif as vice.

    The Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has Senator Dino Melaye as Chairman with Senator Mohammed Hassan as vice; Committee on Federal Character has Senator Salihu Egye as Chairman with Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi as vice; Committee on Finance has Senator John Owan Enoh as Chairman with Senator Umaru Ibrahim Kurfi as vice; Committee on Foreign Affairs has Senator Munsurat Sunmonu as Chairman with Senator Shehu Sani as vice; Committee on Gas has Senator Bassey Albert Apkan as Chairman with Senator Abubakar Ahmadu Moalaahyidi as vice; Committee on Health has Senator Lanre Tejusho as Chairman with Senator Mathew Urhoghide as vice, Committee on Housing has Senator Barnabas Gemade with Senator Francis Alimikhena as vice; Committee on I.C.T & Cyber Crime has Senator Buhari Abdulfatai as Chairman with Senator Foster Ogola as vice; Committee on independent National ElectoraL Commission has Senator Abubakar Kyari as Chairman with Senator Nelson Effiong as vice; Committee on Information and National Orientation has Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe as Chairman with Senator Ibrahim Danbaba as vice; Committee on Interior has Senator George Thonpson Sekibo as Chairman with Senator Bayero Usman Nafada as vice; Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs has Senator Bayero Usman Nafada as Chairman; Committee on Industry has Senator Sam Egwu as Chairman with Senator Buhari Abdulfatai as vice; Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and legal Matters has Senator David Umaru as Chairman with Senator Godswill Akpabio as vice; Committee on Lnad transport has Senator Olugbenga Ashafa as Chairman with Senator Philip Aduda as vice while Committee on Local and Foreign Debts has Senator Shuhu Sani as Chairman with Senator Senator Philip Gunka as vice.

    Others also named included Committee on Marine Transport with Senator Ahmed Rufai Sani as Chairman with Senator Ighoyota Amori as vice, Committee on Media and Public Affairs has Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi as Chairman with Senator Murray Bruce as vice; Committee on Public Procurement has Senator Abdulsalami Ohiare as Chairman with Senator Yele Omogunwa as vice, Committee on National Identity & National Population has Senator Kabiru Marafa as Chairman with Abubakar Sani Danladi as vice; Committee on National Planning & Economic Affairs has Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as Chairman with Senator Danjuma La’ah as vice; Committee on Navy has Senator Isa Hamma Misau as Chairman with Senator Osinachukwu Ideozu as vice;  Committee on Niger Delta has Senator Peter Nwaboshi as Chairman with Senator Abubakar Abdulrahman as vice, Committee on Police Affairs has Senator Abu Ibrahim as Chairman with Senator Stella Oduah as vice; Committee on Power has Senator James Manager as Chairman with Senator Bukar Mustapha as vice, Committee on Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases has Senator Mao Ohuabunwa as Chairman with Senator Olusola Adeyeye as vice; Committee on Privatisation has Senator Ben Murray Bruce as Chairman with Senator Abdullahi Yahaya as vice; Committee on Science and Technology has Senator Robert Ajayi Borofice with Senator Marafi Bashir as vice; Committee on Solid Minerals has Senator Joshua Dariye as Chairman with Senator Rilwan Adesoji as vice; Committee on Sports has Senator Obinna Ogba as Chairman with Kabiru Marafa as vice; Committee onSpecial Duties has Senator Murtala Nyako as Chairman with Senator Sunny Ogbuoji as vice, Committee on State and Local Government has Senator Abdullahi Gumel as Chairman with Senator Kashamu Buruji as vice; Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND as Senator Binta Masi Garba with Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura as vice; Committee on Trade and Investment has Fatimat Olufunke Raji Rasaki as Chairman with Senator Sabo Mohammed as vice, Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) has Senator Donald Omotayo Alaosoadura as Chairman with Senator Bassey Gershom as vice; Committee on Water Resources has Senator Mohammed Ubali Shittu with Senator Emmanuel Bwacha as vice; Committee on Women Affairs has Senator Oluremi Tinubu as Chairman with Senator Stella Oduah as vice, Committee on Works has Senator Kabiru Gaya as Chairman with Senator Clifford Ordia as vice while Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Welfare has Senator Ali Wakili as Chairman with Senator Godfrey Chukwwuka Utazi as vice.

    Geo-political distribution of the committees showed that South West got 11 committee chairmanships positions, North West has 11, South East has 10, North Central has 13, North East 11 while South South has 10.

     

  • Saraki unveils Senate standing committees

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday unveiled the standing committees of the upper legislative chamber.

    Details later…

  • Saraki appeals to Supreme Court

    Saraki appeals to Supreme Court

    •Apex court urged to stay proceedings before CCT 

    Senate President Bukola Saraki has appealed the October 30 decision of the Court of Appeal, which upheld his trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) ý on a 13-count charge of false assets declaration.

    Saraki, in his notice of appeal to the Supreme Court, faulted the Court of Appeal and asked the apex court to set aside the appellate court’s judgment and stop his trial before the CCT.

    The Senate President filed, along with the notice of appeal, an application for stay of proceedings in his trial.

    The CCT had, on October 21, elected to await the judgment of the Appeal Court in Saraki’s appeal before taking any further steps in the case. It adjourned to November 5.

    On October 30, a three-man bench of the Court of Appeal, by a split decision of two-to-one, dismissed Saraki’s appeal. Saraki had appealed against the CCT’s decision to assume jurisdiction over his trial.

    The appeal and application for stay of proceedings filed by Saraki may not affect proceedings before the CCT tomorrow as it is not likely that the Supreme Court will sit before then to consider any of the documents the Senate President just filed.

    Saraki raised seven grounds of appeal in his notice of appeal attached to the application for stay of proceedings, both filed for him by his legal team led by Joseph Daudu (SAN).

  • Amaechi: PDP Senators oppose adoption of votes and proceedings

    The drama trailing the nomination and confirmation of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as minister continued on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday.

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senators who had stood against the confirmation of Amaechi continued their battle to scuttle the chances of the former governor from becoming a minister.

    The opposition lawmakers opposed the adoption of the votes and proceedings of October 29, the day Amaechi was confirmed by the upper chamber.

    After the prayers were said on Tuesday to signal the commencement of the business of the day, the Senate went through the votes and proceedings.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki beckoned on Senator Isiaka Adeleke (APC Osun West) to move a motion for the adoption of votes and proceedings of October 29.

    Adeleke complied promptly and moved that “The Senate do adopt the votes and proceedings of Thursday, October 29, 2015.”

    Adeleke had hardly concluded his motion when Saraki called Senator Peter Nwaboshi, (PDP Delta North) to second the motion as moved by Adeleke.

    Nwaboshi flatly declined claiming he would not be able to second the motion because he was not in the chamber when the decision on the confirmation of ministerial nominees was taken.

    Nwaboshi was specifically referring to the confirmation of Amaechi when PDP Senators staged a walk out.

    The chamber was getting tensed up and Saraki who sensed danger quickly beckoned on Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir (APC Sokoto East) to second the motion.

    Gobir did that to pave the way for Saraki to put the question.

    Saraki proceeded immediately to put the question asking those who support that the Senate adopts the votes and proceedings of October 29 to say “aye.”

    All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators thundered “aye.”

    When Saraki again asked those against to say “nay”, PDP Senators chorused “nay.”

    The implication of the development was clear in the chamber, but Saraki quickly ruled that those who said “aye’ carried the day.

  • Saraki presents confirmed ministers’ list to Buhari

    Saraki presents confirmed ministers’ list to Buhari

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday formally presented the list of 36 ministerial nominees screened and confirmed by the Senate to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Saraki arrived the seat of power about 3:00pm along with the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang and the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Suleiman Kawu.