ABUJA – Senate of the Federal Republic yesterday, constituted a ten-man contact committee, to interface with President Mohammadu Buhari on alleged plot by the Inspector-General of Police, Abubakar Idris to frame-up Senate President Bukola Saraki in a criminal case.
The Senate committee was also mandated to bring up boiling issues of insecurity accross the country and disdainity the National Assembly by certain appointees of federal government.
The committee members included, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Majority Leader Ahmed Lawan, Chief Whip Sola Adeyeye and Minority Whip Philip Aduda.
Others are, Senators Abdullahi Adamu, Danjuma Goje, Aliyu Wamako, Fatima Raji Rasaki, Sam Egwu and Oluremi Tinubu.
The Senate had risen from its about 50 minutes closed session and Senate President Saraki alerted them of a plot by IGP idris to implicate him in certain criminal activities in Kwara State.
Bellow is the excerpt of the SP’s address to the Senate:
“STATEMENT BY SENATE PRESIDENT INTIMATING SENATORS OF PLOT AGAINST HIM BY IGP
I. My Distinguished colleagues, there is an issue which I need to bring to your attention very urgently.
2. Last night, my State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatai Ahmed revealed to me an information at his disposal that a group of suspects who had been in police cells for several weeks for cultism and whose investigation had been concluded with prosecution about to commence under the State law based on the
advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the Ministry of Justice were ordered to be transferred to Abuja this morning.
3. According to the information available to the Governor, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim directed the Commissioner of Police in Kwara State to immediately transfer the men to the Force Headquarters. The plan, as the Governor was made to understand is that, under duress, the suspects would be made to alter the statements they already made in Ilorin. They will then be made to implicate the Kwara State Government, and in particular, myself, in their new statement.
4. This plot is part of the strategy by the 1GP Idris to settle scores over the declaration by this honourable Chamber that he is not qualified and competent to hold any public office, within and outside. the country and that he is an enemy of Nigerian democracy based on his usual disrespectful conduct towards lawful authorities.
5. In my own View, this plot is an act of desperation, blackmail, intimidation, abuse of office and crude tactics aimed at turning our country into a Police State where top officials cannot be made to obey the law, follow due process and subject themselves to constituted authorities.
6. I want to bring this dangerous development to the attention of all of you my colleagues, the entire country and the international community so that you can be aware of the level of impunity in our country and the danger it constitute to our democracy.
Sen. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON. May 16, 2018”.
Shortly after the address, Sen. Bala Ibn Na’alah moved that the SP should step down for his Deputy, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu to preside over the matter.
The law makers chorussed that Nigeria democracy was on trial; image of the country tarnished; lives of federal lawmakers in danger; impunity on the rise; and anarchy rearing up fast.
They therefore resolved to visit the Aso Rock Villa, to inquire from President Buhari “where we are? Are we safe?….
In his closing remark on the matter, presiding DSP, Ike Ekweremadu noted:
“We all know that the Parliament is the temple of democracy; we have the responsibility to our people not only to preserve our democracy but to also ensure that it is purified.
What the Senate President has raised today is an exposure of some of the things that are wrong with our democracy which we need to halt.
So we need to ensure there is rule of law and we need to ensure that we respect our various rights; we are a country that is bound by conventions, laws, culture and tradition.
So, it is our responsibility as a Parliament, to ensure that we protect the rights of our citizens to ensure that we make progress as a nation especially on the issues of human rights and democracy”.
The committee is to report back in one week for further legislative action.
