The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Saraki

  • Trial: Saraki, loyalists lobby emirs

    Trial: Saraki, loyalists lobby emirs

    Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki and some members of the Like Minds in the Senate have reached out to some emirs.

    They are trying to explore ways of resolving the crisis of confidence between the Senate President and the Presidency, The Nation has learnt.

    Some of them were said to be urging the emirs to prevail on the Federal Government to drop charges against Saraki, who is facing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for alleged false declaration of assets.

    But President Muhammadu Buhari may not accept under-the-table deal in matters relating to corruption, a source said.

    The Senate President’s supporters have been attributing the arraignment to “political vendetta”.

    Saraki had audience with some traditional rulers from the North on Saturday.

    A highly-placed source said: “Some loyalists of Saraki are really pushing for political option. This is why they have been reaching out to prominent emirs and chiefs in the North.

    “I think Saraki is buying into the rapprochement by meeting with some emirs where he explained his own side and how things could be straightened.

    “For instance on Saturday, Saraki had audience with some emirs and chiefs from the North in connection with his travails and how to resolve the matter amicably.”

    A member of The Like Minds said: “No one is happy the way things are – at a standstill. The Presidency and the Senate leadership are working at cross-purpose.

    “If we continue like this, the hostility between the Presidency and the Senate will deepen and it will affect many things.

    [ad id=”403656″]“We are reaching out to some emirs and Northern leaders to address this problem. We believe we can manage the situation before it gets out of hand.”

    A source in the Presidency said: “As far as I know, President Muhammadu Buhari will not accept under-the-table deal on allegations having to do with corruption.

    “The Presidency has explained that it has nothing to do with Saraki’s trial. There is no basis for any lobbying.”

    As at last night, Saraki’s supporters were still divided on whether or not to confront the Presidency over his arraignment before the tribunal.

    Some Senators are seeking outright condemnation of the trial; others are pushing for a subtle management of the situation.

    “We are weighing options ahead of our resumption on tomorrow on how to manage the situation, “a senator said.

     

  • Wammako: Buhari has no hand in Saraki’s ordeal

    Wammako: Buhari has no hand in Saraki’s ordeal

    President Muhammadu Buhari has nothing to do with Senate President Bukola Saraki’s ordeal, especially his case before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Senator Aliyu Wamako (APC, Sokoto), said at the weekend.

    Wamako, a former Sokoto State governor, was among the group of senators, who accompanied Saraki when he appeared before the CCT last Tuesday.

    He said: “I see Mr. President, Saraki and senators holding a meeting very soon on how to salvage democracy, which certain elements have been trying to subvert. They will find time to meet to stop our opponents from progressing with acts to sabotage our democracy.

    “Once the President and the Senate leadership sit on a round-table with a resolve to re-oil the wheels of democracy for national progress, the cynics, the political rabble-rousers and those who never mean well for the APC government will go to sleep.”

    He noted that Saraki, having submitted himself to the law by appearing before the CCT, has helped the case preferred against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

    He urged Nigerians to stop pre-empting the course of justice.

    He noted that those hoping to promote discord between Buhari and the Senate President, banking on excuses, would soon realise that democracy has advanced with more senators anxious to make it work.

    Wammako said Saraki’s removal as being canvassed by those he described as “faceless groups outside the National Assembly” would end up as “an ill-wind that will blow no good for the Senate, democracy and Nigeria”.

    He said: “Majority of senators weeks ago passed a vote of confidence in Saraki because they were convinced that his style of leadership has been broad and progress-inclined. Nothing has changed. Majority of our colleagues still believe that Saraki remains a stabilising factor in the Senate for now.

    “A change of leadership, at this point in time and as being canvassed, will certainly spark some endless sessions of rancour, suspicion, crises and uncertainty among members. When such begin to happen, no one will be able to predict the end.”

    According to the former governor, Saraki shares the same ideology of “change” with President Buhari.

    He added that every step so far taken by the Senate had been inclined towards promoting the change mantra, with national progress at the core of all considerations by senators.

    Wamakko noted that contrary to reports, there was no plot to replace Saraki on the strength of his case before the CCT.

    He noted that the reality on the Senate issues never tallied with the reports of a search for   Saraki’s replacement.

    He insisted that senators were rather meeting to strengthen the Senate under Saraki with a view to recovering the lost grounds on the legislative business under the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.

  • Kwara monarchs allege Saraki’s ‘persecution’

    Kwara monarchs allege Saraki’s ‘persecution’

    The Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council has described the trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, as persecution. The monarchs advised the Federal Government to discontinue the trial.

    In a statement by Saraki’s media office, the monarchs said they would continue to pray for Saraki to overcome the challenges.

    Dr. Saraki is being tried for alleged false declaration of assets while he was governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011.

    The statement quoted the monarchs to have reminded the government that Nigerians voted for change and not for “political harassment of perceived opponents”.

    The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, who led a delegation of the monarchs on a solidarity visit to Saraki, urged Nigerians to be wary of bad elements bent on dividing the country on account of political vendetta.

    Sulu-Gambari said: “We are here for good reasons and to bring the goodwill of the Council of Chiefs. We are ready to support our son. We are here to see him on the various constitutional challenges, we would not call them problems, and may God not make them problems for us.

    “It doesn’t take long for a 10-year-old child to realise that our dear son, our precious son is being persecuted. The politics of persecution is not the right change for Nigeria.

    “We want changes; we want it to be clean. He who seeks equity must come with clean hands. If you want equity, you must do equity.

    “We know there are several stages of challenges before our leader, such that nobody in Nigeria can ever be clean enough. But do we want to upset the whole Nigeria because we want a beautiful change? Time and posterity will tell.

    “But we want to appeal to men of goodwill that politics should not be with bitterness. Politics should be about the unity of this country.

    “We, therefore, came here to declare our support and solidarity to our precious son. If you (Saraki) look back, you will see us in various forms, begging Almighty Allah to protect you. Nigeria should beware of destructive elements. Nobody is perfect. We are in this scheme to make Nigeria very strong in the comity of nations.”

    Thanking the monarchs for their support, Saraki assured them he would overcome his travails.

    His words: “I am honoured and at the same time humbled to receive this visit from our royal fathers. The last time I had this honour was when I was still the governor.

    “There is nothing more to add because you have spoken. You have spoken from your years of experience as a father, and as someone who has headed a very great arm of government – the judiciary.

    “Your words of wisdom and encouragement will continue to give me great confidence. As you rightly said, it is a challenging time, not only for us the politicians, but generally the country.

    “Be assured that with your support and your prayers, we will overcome it because the people know that this is not prosecution, but persecution”.

  • Understanding Saraki’s misunderstandings

    When understanding collides with misunderstanding, the collision needs to be understood.  Is Senate President Bukola Saraki misunderstood?  In other words, is he a victim of misunderstanding? Or is he the one who needs to demonstrate understanding? Does he have the understanding needed to avoid misunderstanding his situation?

    Where is this train of thought going? Or where is it coming from? Well, Saraki prompted a contemplation of understanding and misunderstanding by his word choice on September 22 when he was docked by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). In an unexpected and unprocedural seizure of the moment, Saraki reportedly said to Tribunal Chairman Justice Danladi Umar: “Mr. Chairman, I just want to make this point for you to understand that, as a layman, I am puzzled why I should be before the tribunal.” Saraki continued: “We are all before the world and not just before Nigeria and we ought to be seen how we conform to due process.”

    It is puzzling that Saraki claimed to be puzzled. Even more puzzling was a statement signed by him after his performance in the dock. He said: “I reiterate my belief that the only reason why I am going through this is because I am Senate President. If I were to be just a Senator, I doubt if anybody will be interested in the assets declaration form I filled over twelve years ago.”

    It is not understandable: Saraki doesn’t understand that it is precisely because of his status as Senate President that he deserves whatever he is going through. The country certainly doesn’t deserve a legislative commander that not only emerged controversially, but whose emergence was also coloured by a colourless subversion of his party’s position.

    Only a dysfunctional decoding of the concept of party supremacy could have encouraged the circumstances that brought him to the helm of affairs at the Senate, an ascendancy he actualised through an unapologetic defiance of his party’s desire and decision. It is noteworthy that the same warped twist resulted in a queer combination and cohabitation at the helm of the Senate: Saraki of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a party elected to power on the premise of progressivism, and Deputy Senate President Ike Enweremadu of the unprogressive Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Saraki made matters worse by subsequently rubbishing his party’s list for Senate leadership posts.

    It is understandable that a functional interpretation of party supremacy must be informed by the logic of supremacy. Supremacy is supreme. For the purpose of clarification, supremacy doesn’t mean infallibility. So the party can err. It does not guarantee fairness. So the party can be unfair. The essence of party supremacy is its conclusive collective voice.

    Saraki is a figure that emerged without an understanding of party supremacy, a development that has helped to fuel a crisis of individualism in the APC. In his rise to the preeminent legislative position, he demonstrated a misunderstanding of the party’s “due process”, and he did so without any care whether a watching world understood his lack of understanding. It is not understandable: Saraki now wants the public to understand so-called conformity to due process only in the context of his ongoing troubles. Obviously, he brought trouble upon himself and should understand that it may be harvest time for him.

    It should be understood that this political drama is taking place on the stage of realpolitik. Saraki’s anti-party manoeuvres that gave him the Senate crown were guided by realpolitik. His defenders and supporters have attributed his tribunal trial to the power and influence of alleged political antagonists, without understanding that Saraki doesn’t have a monopoly on realpolitik.

    Perhaps unfortunately for Saraki, there may be evidence of minuses exploitable by the opposing side. Considering the internal logic of party supremacy, it is understandable that   internal politicking in a political party may give an advantage to certain interests such that they enjoy leadership influence. But this is no reason for the disadvantaged to bellyache to the point of belligerence and centrifugal conduct as manifested by Saraki in the pursuit of his desperate ambition to lead the Senate.

    Clearly, Saraki wants his party to accept his contentious crowning as a fait accompli, which is not understandable. In building scenarios following his untidy enthronement, it would appear that Saraki didn’t understand that APC supremos were likely to make moves to  save party supremacy, and that  they were likely to find their own way of doing so. He probably didn’t understand the consequences of his rebellion and how far the party may be prepared to go in exploring a plurality of possibilities to checkmate him.

    Saraki didn’t understand that the early sign of his disruptive behaviour was likely to be seen as a danger to party supremacy by party hierarchs particularly. He didn’t understand that his party would not encourage him to perform even more daring stunts to disgrace party supremacy by allowing him to get away with his initial misbehaviour.  It is understandable if the party decides to follow the path that leads to restoration and reinforcement of party supremacy based on party discipline, party cohesion and party integrity.

    The conflict is nothing short of a domestic war of sorts. It is not for the faint-hearted. On Saraki’s side in particular, he will need a capacity to endure a war of attrition. Saraki must understand that in attrition warfare, the fundamental strategy is “to win a war by wearing down the enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses”. He should understand what he is facing, or perhaps more aptly, the force of the forces ranged against him: “one can be said to pursue a strategy of attrition when one makes it the main goal to cause gradual attrition to the opponent eventually amounting to unacceptable or unsustainable levels for the opponent while limiting one’s own gradual losses to acceptable and sustainable levels.”

    There is no doubt that Saraki has only himself to blame for being on the receiving end of attritional methods, and not without reasonable justification. When will Saraki understand that he is fighting a losing battle?

  • Saraki What would he do next?

    Saraki What would he do next?

    Predictably, the current travails of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has brought to the fore the many undercurrents playing out within and outside the National Assembly, reports Remi Adelowo   

    Monday, September 21 was a particularly stressful day for embattled President of the Senate, Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

    In the early hours of the day, a large number of supporters and close political associates of the nation’s number three citizen had thronged his official guest house located in the highbrow Maitama area of Abuja. The sprawling structure shares the same fence with the official residence of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase.

    Saraki’s supporters were on hand to show solidarity with him over his ongoing travails with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), which slammed a 13-count charge of false declaration of assets on the Senate President. Looking flustered and troubled while the session lasted, the number three citizen was, unarguably, a shadow of himself in spite of the brave face he tried to put up.

    About one hour later, the Senate President with his guests in tow, headed straight to the Asokoro residence of Alhaji Kawu Baraje, one of his closest political associates for another round of consultations.

    Curiously however, his retinue of security men comprising of operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and policemen, stayed back at the guest house allegedly on Saraki’s instruction.

    The meeting at Baraje’s house was to deliberate on the ruling of the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court in Abuja, which declined Saraki’s request to stall his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    Sources disclosed that a top lawyer, who is a member of Saraki’s legal team, was on hand to brief the house on the imperative of obeying the ruling of the CCT, which had summoned the Senate President to appear before it unfailingly on September 22.

    The Senior Advocate of Nigeria hinged his position on the “unfavourable” rulings of the Appellate Court and FHC, which failed to stall Saraki’s trial at the CCT.

    But minutes before the meeting at Baraje’s house ended, a signal was dispatched to the security men who arrived well on time and escorted Saraki to the National Assembly complex.

    Arrival of Ekweremadu and other Senators

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, arrived moments later and joined Saraki in his office. And in twos and threes, many senators loyal to the Senate President arrived to consult with him.

    Expectedly, the main agenda of the meeting that took place between Saraki and his loyalists centred on the appearance of the former in court the following day for the commencement of his trial at the CCT.

    Some of the lawmakers include Dino Melaye, Ben Murray-Bruce, Ighoyata Amori, Peter Nwaoboshi, Gilbert Nnaji, Emmanuel Paulker, Samuel Anyanwu, Gershom Bassey, Ibrahim Dambaba, Rafiu Ibrahim, Shaaba Lafiagi, to mention but a few.

    The Nation gathered that all the senators present pledged their unalloyed loyalty to Saraki, and also restated their resolve to stand by him in his ordeal.

    Shortly before the meeting drew to a close however, one of those present expressed worry by the relatively small number of senators present. The import of his statement was not lost on the gathering.

    In the last few weeks, particularly after Saraki’s asset declaration saga became public knowledge, there have been fears that some lawmakers under the aegis of ‘Like Minds’ Senators, the group loyal to the Senate President, have become battle weary and toying with the idea of withdrawing their support.

    But the Senate President, a source said, reportedly responded that some of those absent are presently on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, adding confidently that he can still vouch for their loyalty to him.

    Saraki reaches out

    Though the Senate President has kept a stoic face that he is on top of the dire situation he is entangled in, a source disclosed that behind the scene, he has in the last couple of days reached out to three of the nation’s former leaders and other influential Nigerians to intercede on his behalf to the President.

    While one of the ex-leaders indeed spoke to the President on the issue, the two others allegedly declined and instead asked him to make peace with his party at “whatever cost.”

    The euphemism for “whatever cost”, according to a source is for Saraki to either step down or accede to his party’s position on the composition of principal offices in the Senate.

    An attempt by Saraki to also co-opt the Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi (an old student of the prestigious Kings College like Saraki) was also futile as the monarch failed to extract any commitment from the President.

    Battle on many fronts

    The next few months will, no doubt, be the most trying period in the political career of the former Kwara State governor.

    Right now, he is currently entangled in four complex cases involving himself; his wife, Toyin; his business associate, Kennedy Izuagbe, a former Director of the defunct Societe Generale Bank and Managing Director of one of Saraki’s business concerns, Carlisle Properties and Investments Limited and the alleged forgery of the Senate Rules.

    Izuagbe was recently declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged discrepancies in Saraki’s asset declaration forms.

    The development, sources noted, suggest that the EFCC may also reopen the probe on the collapse of SGBN under Saraki’s watch.

    A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said Izuagbe is wanted for alleged laundering of about N3.6 billion. Izuagbe has since got an injunction from a Federal High Court restraining the EFCC from effecting his arrest and interrogation.

    The EFCC is also investigating Toyin Saraki over alleged questionable business transactions during her husband’s tenure as Kwara State governor from 2003 to 2011 and may likely press charges against her once findings are concluded.

    The alleged forgery of Senate Rules, which the Police have reportedly concluded its investigations on, may also resume once the legal obstacle erected by Senator Gil Nnaji, a staunch Saraki loyalist, who some weeks ago, secured an injunction to stop the Police from pressing ahead with the case, is set aside.

    Would he fight back?

    Within the last four months that Saraki has been at daggers drawn with his party and the Presidency, he has proved that he is not one to be cowed easily.

    It would be recalled that after his controversial election as Senate President in June, an opportunity for Saraki to mend fences with the APC leadership soon presented itself on the selection of principal officers of the Senate.

    In a ‘no victor, no vanquished’ compromise that would have resolved the Senate leadership tussle, the APC National Chairman had written a letter to Saraki intimating him on the decision of the party to have Senator Ahmed Lawan (Yobe), Saraki’s main rival for the Senate Presidency picked as the Senate leader with Senator George Akume (Benue) as his deputy.

    For the position of the Chief Whip, Prof. Olusola Adeyeye (Osun) was the party’s choice, while Senator Abu Ibrahim (Katsina) was to serve as his deputy.

    In total defiance of his party, Saraki instead named Senator Ali Ndume and Bala Ibn Na’Allah as the Senate Leader and Deputy Senate Leader respectively, with Senator Francis Alimikhena picked as Deputy Chief Whip.

    He was, however, silent on the candidate of the South-West geo-political zone, who was expected to fill the Senate chief whip post. Saraki hinged his decision on the letters he received from the North-East, North-West and the South-South caucuses of APC. Curiously, he was silent on the position of Chief Whip that Senator Olusola Adeyeye was pencilled down to fill.

    Like in a movie thriller with several twists and turns, the Saraki saga took another dimension with the quizzing of Saraki’s wife, Toyin by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged shady contracts during her husband’s tenure as the governor of Kwara State.

    EFCC acted on a petition allegedly written by the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But a few days after Toyin Saraki’s appearance at the anti-graft office in Abuja came the denial from Kwara PDP that it forwarded any petition against the former Kwara first lady to the EFCC. Insinuations were rife then that the volte face by the Kwara PDP was at the instance of its national headquarters.

    Again, Saraki refused to be beaten to submission. On August 25, the Senate Committee on Public Petitions and Ethics summoned the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, to appear before it over allegations of N1trillion fraud.

    The invitation was sequel to a petition written by Dr. George Uboh, Chief Executive Officer, Panic Alert Security Services.

    Uboh had alleged that the EFCC boss diverted multi-billion naira funds, including the loot recovered from a former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and former Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun.

    The petitioner had also alleged that EFCC operates accounts in banks to warehouse recovered funds, which do not reflect in EFCC’s audited accounts; doctoring and manipulation of bank accounts to conceal diversion of funds; release of recovered funds to unidentified persons and EFCC officials and movement of funds from its recovery accounts to the agency’s operations accounts from where it diverts same.

    Other allegations are that over 95 percent of EFCC’s recoveries in foreign currencies, other than those from multinational companies have been diverted; trading with recovered funds through bank deposits and placements; colluding with real estate companies in order to grossly undervalue seized assets before they are sold to cronies; non-accountability of offshore recoveries, while over half of the assets seized from suspects are not reflected in EFCC exhibit records.

    The petitioner and Lamorde were to appear before the Committee for questioning over the alleged fraud allegedly committed during Lamorde’s tenure as the Director of Operations of the EFCC between 2003 and 2007, as well as the Acting Chairman of the commission between June 2007 and May 2008.

    Lamorde failed to turn up at the Senate hearing, even as not a few believed that Uboh may have acted at Saraki’s behest to get back at EFCC for “the embarrassment meted to his person by his wife’s invitation.”

    The obstinacy displayed by the Senate President so far in his “war” with his opponents has raised fears that he may have some “jokers” up his sleeves in response to his arraignment at the CCT.

    Options before Saraki

    That Saraki is not willing to go down without a fight is becoming clearer every passing day.

    And he has loyal comrades in PDP Senators who are said to be absolutely angered by his trial at the CCT, and are poised to go for the broke with the Presidency, which they believe is behind Saraki’s travails.

    With the commencement of the trial of Saraki fixed for October 21, the Saraki camp, The Nation learnt, has returned to the drawing board to perfect its plot against the Presidency.

    One of the options being considered is that in the event that Saraki is convicted by the CCT, a new Senate President from the PDP would be elected to replace him. Security agencies are in the know of the plot, it was gathered. The PDP senators are banking on the support of the APC senators loyal to Saraki to achieve this plan, a source disclosed.

    There are also speculations that pro-Saraki lawmakers have “laid an ambush” for President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial list, which would be made public anytime soon.

    “The list may be rejected along with the previous appointments made by the President in protest against Saraki’s trial,” The Nation further learnt.  Some of these appointments include those of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), among others. The game plan, sources insist, is to frustrate the President.

    Though it is not clear yet how the PDP senators intend to frustrate the ministerial screening, but an APC senator who spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity, said they may rely on a Senate rule, which stipulates that any ministerial nominee that fails to secure the endorsement of at least two Senators from his state would be not be cleared.

    When reminded that the rule was jettisoned by the 7th Senate in the clearance of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, whose ministerial nomination by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan was vehemently opposed by the three senators from Lagos State- Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, Ganiyu Solomon and Gbenga Ashafa-the PDP Senator replied, “You have forgotten that Obanikoro’s nomination scaled through, because the then Senate President, David Mark, was on the same page with the Presidency. But the scenario we have now is completely different, because Saraki, who is being frustrated by the APC, would remain on his seat when ministerial screening gets under way.”

    Beside the endorsement of two Senators from the state of origin to clear every ministerial nominee, another Senate rule stipulates that former lawmakers at state and federal levels would only be asked to “take a bow and go,” though it is not clear yet if these rules would be strictly enforced this time around.

    The powers of the Senate President, it was gathered, may be brought to bear in the clearance or rejection of the nominees. “David Mark could have acceded to the demands of the Lagos Senators to reject Obanikoro’s nomination, but he used his powers as the presiding officer to thwart that move. Trust Saraki to also deploy his powers for maximum effect,” said the PDP senator.

     

    Crack in Saraki’s camp

    While the plot to frustrate the Presidency is afoot, a seeming crack has reportedly ensued within the pro-Saraki group known as the ‘Like Minds Senators’ over the most feasible method to resolve the crisis.

    Some weeks ago, Senate Leader, Ali Ndume (a Saraki loyalist) paid separate visits to President Buhari and the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    Ndume’s visits to the two leaders were to seek for their “understanding and forgiveness” on the role he, in concert with others played in installing Saraki as the Senate President.

    But to Ndume’s shock, both Buhari and Tinubu reportedly restated their loyalty to the supremacy of the party and that the minimum irreducible condition for peace was for Saraki to obey the party’s position on the composition of the leadership of the National Assembly.

    Ndume’s peace initiative, however, allegedly did not go down well with Saraki, who was quoted to have boasted: “We (Senators) don’t need the President; he is the one who needs us.” This statement soon got to the ears of some trusted aides of the President and APC leaders, a source disclosed.

    Signs that all may not be well in the Saraki camp emerged last week during his appearance at the CCT, as many of his known supporters in the Senate were absent.

    Later that evening, Saraki’s Media Office issued a statement claiming that about 50 Senators accompanied the Senate President to the Tribunal in solidarity with him. But as it later turned out, only 25 senators were counted as having gone with him to the venue of his trial.

    Several excuses have been adduced as reasons for the senators’ absence. While some of them like Ndume were away in Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage, a few others particularly Dino Melaye (spokesman of Like Minds Senators), were believed to be battling with their cases at the Election Petition Tribunal, with others also believed to have stayed away in order not to be “caught in the crossfire between Saraki and his opponents.”

    Other (un)likely options

    In most political disputes where no idea for settlement is considered impossible or unlikely, a few options are presently being bandied to resolve the Saraki saga once and for all.

    The possibility of the “combatants” agreeing on a political solution is being talked about within the APC circles. And that would mean the President intervening to save Saraki from his ordeal.

    But sources in the party have dismissed this option, insisting that the President will not under any circumstance influence the wheel of justice in the spirit of his anti-corruption agenda.

    Political observers say another likely or unlikely option Saraki is faced with is to eat the humble pie, resign and make peace with his party leaders. That way, his trial at the CCT, which his sympathisers describe as “political,” may be thrown out.

    But this option has a major challenge. It would make nonsense of the President’s anti-corruption stance and rubbish his integrity.

    The third option is for the Senate President to enter into a plea bargain, and this way, gets a light or no conviction but forfeit his assets to the government. “That is very, very unlikely. The Leader (as Saraki is fondly addressed by his associates) would never agree to that,” said one of his loyalists, a former commissioner in Kwara State.

    The Nation gathered that none of these latter options sound as sweet music in the ears of both the pro and anti-Saraki camps.

    While the Saraki group believe accepting these options is akin to pleading guilty to the charges against him, his opponents are also sufficiently infuriated enough that they are not willing to give him any breather at this stage.

    The other option before the two camps is to dig in and allow the judicial process to run its full course.

    “He is not shaken,” said a source close to him, adding, “With majority of senators solidly behind him, the Senate President will retain his seat come what may.”

    But can Saraki retain the loyalty of his colleagues (some of whom are battling to save their skins) as his trial gets into full swing next month? Would he survive this battle which has undoubtedly been the most testing in his political career or get consumed in it?

    The next few months may well provide answers to the posers.

     

     

  • The import of Saraki’s trial

    The import of Saraki’s trial

    It is significant that our Number Three  Citizen is undergoing trial

    Whether Senate President Bukola Saraki is guilty as charged of any, some, or all of the 13-count charge levelled against him by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) or not is immaterial. To me, the import of his arraignment before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Tuesday is the significant thing at the end of the day. Dr. Saraki is the country’s Number Three Citizen. But that should count for nothing when allegations of the type made against him as senate president are concerned. Indeed, it is in our kind of country where such a consideration is an issue.  Elsewhere, even sitting presidents could be tried but for the immunity that many of them enjoy.

    So, the fact that Nigeria has come to a stage where its Number Three Citizen could be taken to court to account for his past actions, even while in office, is significant. This is a country that has thrived for too long on impunity and unless this tendency is checked, we can never make progress. Nobody should have the feeling of being above the law. For me, that is the icing on the cake in the matter.

    Senator Saraki has specifically been accused of making anticipatory declaration of House 15A and 15B, McDonald Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; failure to declare property on Plot 2A, Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; failure to declare property on No. 1, Tagus Street, Maitama, Abuja (Plot 2482, Cadastral Zone A06, Abuja); failure to declare property No.3 Tagus Street, Maitama, Abuja (Plot 2481, Cadastral Properties Ltd) and claiming to own property on No. 42, Gerard Road, Ikoyi and earning N110,000,000.00 per annum on it at a time the property was under construction. Other allegations are: failure to declare N375m GTB loan converted to 1.5m Pound Sterling and used to purchase property in London; operating a foreign bank account; transferring of $3.4m from GTB to foreign bank account during his tenure as governor and failure to declare leasehold interest in No. 42, Remi Fani-Kayode Street, Ikeja, among others.

    But rather than face the issues, some Nigerians, as usual, are beginning to read political meaning into the trial. For me, this is neither here nor there. Much as this may just be true, it may also be only perceived to be so. But again, whatever it is should count for anything. What we should be bothered about is whether Dr. Saraki is in the dock for the appropriate reason/s or not. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s elite have a way of hiding under all manner of excuses when they are put on the spot. They are either alleging political persecution or flying the ethnic or religious kite, whichever suits them. Now, how does political victimisation answer the questions posed by Dr. Saraki’s arraignment? It is a matter of ‘did you’ or ‘did you not’? That, I think, is the issue and those alleging political victimisation know this too well. But that has always been the way our elite shielded themselves from trial in the past. Rather than address issues, they launch into the realm of irrelevancies.

    Indeed, but for the times that are fast changing with the fall of the ancien regime at the polls in March, Dr. Saraki had, before finally making up his mind to appear before the CCT, raced to the Federal High Court, Abuja, with an ex-parte application seeking to prevent the CCT from proceeding with his trial, the way the big people in the country used to frustrate the judicial process in the past under the guise of protecting themselves. We have one of them that has been under the cover of perpetual injunction not to be investigated for years!  As usual, the plank of Dr. Saraki’s argument was not that he is guilty or not, but that of technicalities. He wants the court to order that the status quo be maintained in the matter. “In the absence of any substantive AGF in the time being, this court (Federal High Court, Abuja) has the jurisdiction to direct parties to maintain status quo, pending the hearing of the motion on notice”. His argument is that since there is no subsisting AGF as provided for in Section 24 (1) of the CCB and tribunal, the charge against him by the official of the AGF before the CCT was null and void. Thus, we saw the usual resort to technicalities in the past that has had many cases of fraud and corruption in the country inconclusive, in some cases for years. It is these same technicalities that many people have exploited in the country to shield themselves from trial when their collaborators in other countries have already acclimatised to prison life.

    Watchers of our political development must have seen a recurring pattern in the reluctance of our big people to be called to question over the decades, particularly since the beginning of this democratic dispensation in 1999. The argument about persecution is taken to the ridiculous extent of alleging that someone is being tried because someone does not like his face. And I have always argued that we should be less bothered about that. What should concern us is whether the person being accused is guilty or innocent. But our big people want a utopian situation whereby all thieves would be caught at a time; another way of saying thieves should never be caught. I do not know any country where all the thieves were simultaneously rounded up. We should deal with situation as they arise. If the then President Olusegun Obasanjo had caught thieves that were his enemies and Umaru Yar’Adua had also caught thieves whose faces he did not like, the number of big thieves would have been drastically reduced in the country because people would be mindful of the possibility of the coming to power of a king that would not know Joseph. Of course no one would have expected former President Goodluck Jonathan to catch any thief because he did not see any. As far as he was concerned, the monumental corruption that went on unabated under his very nose was nothing to worry about; it was mere stealing! Notwithstanding, we would have fewer big thieves to contend with in the country today if his predecessors had caught the thieves that they could catch in their time, be they friends or foes. Many of the big people would have been serving their jail terms now.

    However, whether Dr. Saraki should step down from his exalted office or not is a different question entirely. That is purely a moral decision left to him since our laws presume an accused guilty until when convicted by a competent court. Although in our clime, accused are looked at scornfully; in some other countries, it is not so. One may not have felt comfortable having the country’s Number Three Citizen in the dock, with the media making the picture to tell the kind of stories that suited their fancy; some slanted the picture of the senate president in the dock to look like that of a trapped rabbit, etc. I still feel Dr Saraki should be left alone to take the decision as to whether he felt sufficiently embarrassed enough to want to continue in office or whether to see through the trial to the end. But the signal is good for our political and other elites; including bankers who fiddled with their customers’ money, that it is no longer business as usual. A man who stole a goat because he is hungry due to the activities of our corrupt rich that have made jobs disappear into the oblivion should not be sent to prison when those responsible for his plight are moving freely, in some cases, with police protection.

  • Saraki’s conduct in court

    Saraki’s conduct in court

    Senate President, a layman indeed!

    But for the label, the ‘accused person’ on the box where Senator Bukola Saraki sat, while appearing before the Code of Conduct Tribunal; an observer would think he was on the soapbox, when he launched his political remarks in court, last Tuesday. His reprehensible conduct was the culmination of the shenanigans he had displayed, all in an effort to frustrate his arraignment before the tribunal for alleged false declaration of asset. In complete disregard for judicial procedure, Senator Saraki, an accused, took the microphone, and cockily sought to teach the court, the prosecutor, and his defence counsel, the law, even when he accepted that he is a lay- man.

    This false wisdom by Senator Saraki was furthered outside the court, when he tried to sell the dummy that he was being persecuted because he is the Senate President. We doubt the authenticity of this claim, considering that the issues before the court were fairly straight- forward, and were alleged criminal infractions which preceded his disputed emergence as Senate President. As fellow laymen, like Senator Saraki, our understanding is that when an accused person is charged before a court or a tribunal, he will respectfully appear before the court, and plead his innocence or guilt, as maybe the case, instead of politicising it.

    This should even be more evident, when the accused is an elected lawmaker. So, while Senator Saraki must for now be presumed innocent, and given all the lawful opportunity to defend himself, he should not be allowed to denigrate the judicial process, as part of his defence. We therefore identify with the prosecutor’s argument that what Senator Saraki and his legal team sought to do, by shopping for an interim injunction from other courts, would have ridiculed our country’s judicial process if they had succeeded in securing conflicting orders from different courts.

    We hope that what has happened, so far, will be a lesson to other accused persons that the era of dubious injunctions, to frustrate criminal trials, is at its twilight. We therefore commend both the federal high court and the court of appeal, for resisting the temptation to hamstring the lawful duties of a constitutional process. Indeed, we also commend the bold insistence of the tribunal that the law should take its course, despite the unwarranted attempts by the accused person and his rancorous supporters to disrupt the process.

    We are particularly appalled that some distinguished senators of the federal republic would lend their influence towards that unfortunate effort to intimidate the court. To the chagrin of many ordinary Nigerians, the accused person and his supporters substantially turned the venue of the tribunal into a political arena, with all manner of persons and groups chanting songs in Saraki’s support. We had thought that such antics are reserved for the guilty who merely use such subterfuge to intimidate a tribunal, scurry cheap popularity, and give a false sense of persecution of the innocent. In our view, the obviously hired hands that were within and outside the tribunal had no business there, and their efforts should be an embarrassment to the accused person.

    As Senator Saraki has rightly observed, he is a layman. That perhaps explains his uninformed diatribe, implying that but for his present status as Senate President, the alleged crime of false declaration of assets, when he was governor of Kwara State, and subsequently as a senator, would not have been unearthed many years after. While admitting at the tribunal that there is a change in national orientation, and urging the prosecutor and the tribunal to adhere to that change in his trial, Senator Saraki, uncharacteristically refused to link the resurgence of all national institutions to their constitutional responsibilities, to that commitment to change.

    Having had his day in court, despite his efforts to frustrate same, we expect Senator Saraki, whether as Senate President or an ordinarysenator to henceforth dedicate himself to ensuring that all persons, regardless of their stature, are subjected to the rule of law. That is a fundamental requirement of any modern society. Indeed, it is only when all persons are subjected to the rule of law, regardless of temporal privileges, that such a nation can lay claim to be on the threshold of fairness, equity and good conscience. We also hope that the experience of Senator Saraki would be a lesson to others who are under oath to obey the dictates of the constitution. As we have severally warned on this page, those who abuse their powers should know that the day of reckoning will  come, someday.

  • Buhari, Saraki, PDP, others mourn victims

    Buhari, Saraki, PDP, others mourn victims

    President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Bukola Saraki, the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yussuff Lasun, Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and other eminent Nigerians yesterday expressed sadness over Thursday’s stampede that killed 725 pilgrims, including eight Nigerians, during the hajj.

    They called on Saudi authorities to review the safety rules governing activities around places where the hajj rites usually take place.

    The Saudi authorities confirmed the death of 725 pilgrims following a stampede that occurred during the ritual, known as “stoning the devil” in a tent city in Mina, about two miles from the holy site in Mecca, Islam’s holiest city.

    Two Nigerians – Hajiya Bilkisu Yusuf and Professor Tijjani El-Miskin – were first thought to be the only Nigeria victims of the incident, reports yesterday, however, suggested that no fewer than eight Nigerians may have lost their lives.

    President Buhari, according to his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, extended condolences to the families of all the pilgrims who lost their lives in the disaster and those who died when a crane collapsed on worshippers in Mecca two weeks ago.

    He commiserated with the Nigerian Guild of Editors and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on the loss of Hajiya Bilkisu.

    The President described Bilikisu as “an exemplary, dedicated, knowledgeable, very credible, highly-respected,  outstanding editor and columnist who, even in death, will remain a glittering role model for journalists, within and outside Nigeria.”

    He took “note of the assurance by the Government of Saudi Arabia that Thursday’s catastrophe will be investigated and urges King Salman to ensure a comprehensive and thorough exercise that will identify any flaws in Hajj organisation with a view to avoiding a recurrence of such tragedies during the annual pilgrimage.”

    President Buhari prayed that  ”Almighty Allah will comfort the families who lost their beloved ones in the stampede and receive the souls of all those who died in the Holy Land while fulfilling the religious obligation of the Hajj.

    The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, said he was pained and saddened that such tragic incident could still occur despite the safety instructions the Saudi Arabian authorities issued to pilgrims.

    In a statement issued by his media office, Saraki said: “We are pained. The death of pilgrims who came to worship from different parts of the world is too much for us to bear.

    We recorded over 100 deaths and 331 injured others when a crane crashed in Kaaba, Mecca about two weeks ago and now, hundreds of Muslim faithful lost their lives while performing the symbolic stoning of the devil ritual.

    “My heart goes out to the families of those that lost their lives in this tragic incident as I pray Almighty Allah to grant Aljannah Fidaus to souls of all those who lost their lives.

    “I also pray for quick recovery for those that sustained injuries during the stampede. May Allah give the families of the victims the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” Saraki stated.

    Saraki charged the Saudi authorities to organise a comprehensive review and update of the safety rules and security arrangements around the holy places where many pilgrims visit at the same time.

    He said this was necessary to avoid unnatural disasters like the two that had happened in the last one month.

    He also called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria to be more proactive in the training and orientation of intending pilgrims, stressing that safety instructions and guide to pilgrims during hajj, particularly in specific areas, will help forestall future occurrence of such human surge and any other form of crises.

    Senator Saraki called on the Saudi authorities to intensify measures to guarantee the overall safety and welfare of pilgrims in future exercises.

    “Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and compulsory for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to undertake it. Tragic incidents like this may create fear and panic in the minds of prospective pilgrims,” the statement said.

    In a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Wole Oladimeji, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yussuf Lasun, prayed for the repose of the souls of the dead, urging the government of Saudi Arabia to step up its apparatus aimed at ensuring the safety of all pilgrims during the holy exercise.

    Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, who is also performing this year’s hajj, expressed his condolences to President Muhammadu Buhari, Governors Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State and Kashim Shettima  of Borno State, whose pilgrims were victims of  the tragic incident.

    In a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr Taiwo Adeoluwa, Governor Amosun expressed concern over the death, which he said could have been avoided.

    While urging pilgrims across the world to always observe codes that would engender an incident-free pilgrimage, Amosun called on the Saudi authorities to further improve safety measures in order to prevent recurrence of the unfortunate incident.

    “I pray to almighty Allah to comfort the families across the world that lost their loved ones at the Grand Mosque and Mina and grant the deceased Aljannah firdaus. I also wish those that sustained injuries a speedy recovery,” Governor Amosun said.

    Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, described Hajia Bilkisu Yusuf, one of the victims, as a role model for northern women. He said her contributions would be greatly missed.

    According to Sani, the deceased, who was the first woman Editor from Northern Nigeria, lived an exemplary life of service and sacrifice to humanity. He added: “She was a gift to our country and our generation. She was a woman with a voice like no other and a pen like no other.

    “She was a professional with conscience. She was a restless soul in the quest for human dignity, equity and justice. She lived for us and proved a life of synergy of modernity and morality.

    “Death hath not just snatched a prolific writer and a dogged fighter, but it has taken out an outstanding pacesetter. She was a flame for women’s rights and a torchbearer for humanitarian service. She was a silent rebel who combated conventions and stereotype and triumphed.

    “Death stampeded her out of our sight, but she rises and stands permanently in our memory and our conscience. Bilkisu’s life was a challenge to our life- to live for an ideal and be eternally remembered for it. In the north and beyond, she advanced the frontiers of freedom and inspired a generation of women and youth to defy and to match forward and onward in dignity and grace.”

    Sani added: “We triumph over death when our life become a journey of accomplishments in the service of God and humanity. Hajiya Bilkisu is free, free from the burdens and attributes of fears associated with mortality. Bilkisu spoke to our conscience and wrote on the inner layer of our heart. We belong to a nation where the living are wasted and the dead are eulogized; This is among the few climes in the world where you need to die to be noticed, recognized or be appreciated. She was a treasure we underutilized for the betterment of our country. May her gentle soul and that of others consumed in the tragedy rest in peace.”

    The Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, Asiwaju Khamis Olatunde Badmus, who said he was pained by the tragedy, enjoined the bereaved families and Muslims across the country to take the loss with equanimity.

    Speaking through his media aide, Alhaji Dawood Ajetunmobi, Badmus said, “Though the incident is painful, as Muslims, we have to submit to the will of Almighty Allah. Saudi authorities over the years have been making concerted efforts to see that there is hitch-free hajj every year, but it is unfortunate that the stampede happened at the time the hajj rites were almost completed.”

    He, however, urged the Saudi authorities to put in place mechanism that will forestall a reoccurrence in the future, adding that adequate compensation should be paid to the bereaved families.

    “The Saudi authorities should pay compensation to the family of those who lost their lives in the incident as they did for those who were affected in the Makkah crane incident.

    “I commiserate with the President Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, His Eminence Alh Abubakar Sa’ad on the death of the Council’s Assistant Secretary General, Professor Tijjani El-Miskin and the entire Muslims in the South West. I pray to Allah to admit the deceased to Aljanat firdaos and give their families fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”

    In its condolence message, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed sympathy with the Muslim community worldwide over the tragic stampede.

    In a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa

  • Rumpus as Saraki, others pray in Ilorin

    Rumpus as Saraki, others pray in Ilorin

    Many dignitaries yesterday had a bad Sallah experience in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

    They were pelted with  missiles  and water sachets in protest against what many described as a bleak Sallah.

    At the Eid praying ground were Senate President Bukola Saraki and many others.

    The protesters were angry over the non-payment of workers’ outstanding salaries despite the bailout funds from the Federal Government. The government insisted salaries had been paid.

    The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari and the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Muhammadu Bashir (who had nothing to do with salaries) were not exempted by the protesters.

    The police arrested eight suspects in connection with the incident. More suspects were being hunted in the disruption of the Eid-el Adha festival,  highly cherished Islamic injunction in Ilorin Emirate.

    Riot policemen were drafted to strategic areas in the city to prevent a reoccurrence of the attack.

    As early 7am, worshippers had trooped to the expansive Eid Praying Ground to observe the two Nafilat prayers.

    Although the prayer was fixed for 9.30am, there was tension as early as 8am at the praying ground.

    It was evident that most worshippers were out for a showdown because initial sermon segment of the Sallah fell on deaf ears.

    As Saraki and others arrived the praying ground, there was intermittent shout of “Ole! Ole!! Ole!!!(Thief, thief, thief).“E san owo wa to ri olorun” (pay us in the name of God),

    “Ebi n pa wa!” “Ebi  yii tito Saraki!””A o ki run, e fun wa lounje” (We are hungry,  enough of hunger Saraki, we don’t want to pray, give us food)

    The first segment of the protest occurred when  Saraki and other dignitaries’ arrival was announced.

    Shortly after the announcement, worshippers surged forward and threw stones,  missiles, and pure water sachet at the dignitaries, many of who were innocent of the anger of the affected worshippers.

    The police, security agents, and members of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps, battled to curtail the protesters. They formed a barricade to keep them away, but the mob was  deviant.

    The security agents succeeded in paving  the way for the observance of the prayers amid tension at about 9.50am.

    But the initial incident made many worshippers to miss the prayers because at a point the microphone got disconnected.

    Some other worshippers scampered to safety when the mob was persistent in hurling stones, pebbles and missiles at the dignitaries.

    Saraki, the Emir and most of the dignitaries went ahead with the Sallah.

    Immediately the two Rakat prayers ended, the worshippers surged forward again.

    They were raining unprintable words on the dignitaries and throwing more missiles.

    The security wall around the Senate President was, however, thick and it protected him from any personal harm.

    The police and security agents fired teargas to disperse the mob.

    Saraki was guarded into his vehicle.

    Others who were victims of the mob action were ex- Minister Bolaji Abdullahi, State Assembly Speaker Ali Ahmad, former Speaker Razak Atunwa (now a member of the House of Representatives), Rep  Amuda Kannike, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Alhaji Kawu Baraje, the Taliban of Ilorin,  Prof.  Oba Abdulraheem, members of the Assembly, all the Baloguns, Magajis and prominent leaders in Ilorin Emirate.

    The police have started probing the incident.

    Our correspondent saw one of the suspects being taken away in a security van.

    Police spokesman Ajayi Okasanmi, said: “We have arrested eight suspects in connection with the incident.

    “We are interrogating the suspects and before Monday, we will release the details of our findings.”

    The protest was triggered by the delay in payment of salaries.

    The Eid-el Kabir was celebrated with hunger by many citizens of the state following non-payment of salaries for three to four months by the state government, in spite of the bailout by the Federal Government.

    Although there were last-minute salary alerts for civil servants by the government on Wednesday night, the tension had peaked due to the inability of many to get cash for Sallah.

    While local government workers are being owed for three months, some workers have not been paid for four months.

    A source in Saraki’s camp said: “The protest was actually not targeted at Saraki; it was borne out of the delay in payment of salaries by the state. The Senate President, the Emir, the Chief Imam and other leaders were victims of circumstance.

    “ In fact, the Sallah was designed to give Saraki a befitting reception and welcome him back home after his arraignment at the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Wednesday.

    “If any Emir will be attacked, it is not in Ilorin Emirate where the Emir is loved and revered.

    “Immediately the arrival of Saraki was announced, the mob assumed that the governor was on his entourage and without finding out, they started attacking the dignitaries.

    “It is erroneous to say that Saraki and others were deliberately singled out for attack. The President of the Senate has nothing to do with outstanding salaries in Kwara State.

    “And if you look at it, what has the Emir and other leaders got to do with non-payment of salaries? Why should the mob attack these leaders for God’s sake?

    “We are suspecting sabotage; we believe some fifth columnists or forces are at work. Some propagandists went about with different insinuations that the bailout funds were diverted.”

    A source in the government said Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed was really proactive to prevent the incident.

    The source said: “When the governor got security reports of likely unrest over salaries, he met with the Nigeria Labour Congress and leaders of National Union of Local Government Employees  (NULGE) to allay  fears that he had received the bail out funds and diverted it.

    “The governor opened the books of the state, almost swore to the leaders that he had not received any bailout funds.

    “The leaders of the workers showed appreciable understanding.

    “When it was obvious that the workers were unprepared to mark Sallah without salaries, the governor went all out to source for N400million to pay the workers.

    “At least some of the workers got alerts for two months’ salaries on Wednesday night and early Thursday.

  • Senate President not attacked, says media office

    Senate President not attacked, says media office

    Senate President Bukola Saraki was not attacked in Ilorin, his media office said yesterday.

      In a statement, it said: “The Senate President arrived at the venue this morning (yesterday) without any incident, prayed with other Muslim faithful, including the Emir of Ilorin, His Royal Highness (HRH), Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Ali Ahmad and a former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Alfa Belgore, among others.

    “Before the Senate President left the prayer ground, he spoke to reporters who had asked him about his message for Nigerians to mark the Eid-el-Kabir.

    “We want to say that nothing can be further from the truth as the Senate President was never attacked nor was there any attempt made on his life to warrant him being ‘whisked away’ as reported by a section of the media.

    “We however observe that there was a protest allegedly staged by local government employees over purported non-payment of salaries which hoodlums attempted to hijack but this development was immediately curtailed by security agents.

    “Therefore, to say that the Senate President was attacked at the venue of the prayers is totally false and a figment of the imagination of those behind the story because the protest was never targeted at him, neither was any missile hurled at him.”