ABUJA – A Group of Youths under the the aegis of Open Society and Good Governance Initiative yesterday, stormed the National Assembly to kick against alleged plan by the Senate to suspend Sen. Kabir Marafa (APC Zamfara Central).
Sen. Marafa is faced with the storm at the NASS for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the Senate in a recent interview with one of the national dailies.
Report on the matter which was earlier referred to Sen. Sam Anyanwu led Ethics And Disciplinary Committee was laid at the table yesterday, preparatory to be decided upon at Wednesday’s plenary.
The youths who were armed with placards containing various inscriptions, like “Suspend Saraki, not Marafa”; “Saraki leave the Senate and face CCT”; “No to the planned suspension of Senator Kabiru Marafa” and so on, argued that suspension of Marafa would portray the Senate as an Institution without respect for the laws of the land.
Addressing Journalists on their mission, the Coordinator of the group, Mr. Emeka Ude, said the planned suspension of the lawmaker was anti democratic and not disciplinary in anyway.
According to him, the proposed suspension of Marafa would dent the image of the senate because it is an attempt to prevent free speech among lawamkers.
According to him, “Democracy thrives where there is fairness, rule of law, freedom of expression among others.
“In a situation where the legislature is foreclosing the democratic space, that is an invitation to Facsicm”
He insisted that the freedom of expression of lawmakers should be encouraged so that everybody will express his or her views freely.
He maintained that senate President Bukola Saraki should encourage others with contrary views instead of trying to suppress them.
Ude said the group was advocating the suspension of Saraki instead of Marafa because he is the one standing criminal trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
He said by referring the case to the ethics committee, Saraki had made up his mind to discipline the Zamfara Central Senator.
Meanwhile the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Samuel Anyanwu ( PDP Imo East), laid the report of his investigation on Marafa at plenary Tuesday.
Investigations by our reporter revealed that the report may be deliberated upon at Wednesday’s plenary, upon which the senate takes a definitive position.
Sen. Marafa was summoned by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions but failed to appear in order to answer allegations of misguided statements aimed at disparaging the National Assembly.
He is alleged by the petitioners of making comments and publications in a national dailies that demeaned the reputation of the National Assembly.
Senator Marafa who was at the Senate’s hollow chamber when the report was laid, later stormed out of the session, when it was obvious to him, that the report won’t be considered.
