working in connivance with the presidency to forcibly reopen the Senate
before the September 25 date it was officially expected to resume.
A
presidency source told Daily Independent that the move was being
considered in view of the suspicion that Senate President Bukola Saraki
may have taken the decision for a long adjournment for “selfish
reasons”.
It was gathered that the plot to have the Senate
summarily reconvened with the objective of effecting Saraki and Ike
Ekeremadu’s impeachment is part of the Plan B in the hatchery of those
whose plot to allegedly remove them on Tuesday, last week, failed.
The source said they are seeking legal advice to this effect.
He
said another reason being advanced was the anxiety of the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding the effects of the
shutdown of the National Assembly on the commission’s N242bn 2019 poll
budget.
A notable member of the Reformed APC, who confirmed the plot, said
the presidency was being persuaded by some powerful individuals to
forcibly reopen the Senate, impeach Saraki and his deputy, Ike
Ekweremadu, and subsequently arrest them.
He said if the move
succeeded, Yakubu Dogara, the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
and his Deputy, Yusuf Lasun, would also not be spared.
It was
gathered that leading the plot on the part of the APC senators was Ahmed
Lawan, the Majority Leader, and Adams Oshiomhole, the party’s national
chairman.
The source said: “The presidency is currently seeking
the opinion of lawyers and experts on how it will be possible to
reconvene the Senate ahead of the September date announced by the Senate
President.
“Once the move succeeds, I don’t see how Saraki will remain as Senate President. The same applies to his Deputy, Ekweremadu.”
According
to the R-APC member, “The general impression in the presidency is that
Saraki’s adjournment is not in the interest of the APC and the country,
and they feel he cannot continue to hold the APC to ransom. So, if the
plot sails through, he should consider himself gone as President of the
Senate.”
Nigerians at the weekend said it would be
unconstitutional for the APC-led Federal Government to reconvene the
Senate before the September 25 official date announced by Saraki.
While
these may seem impossible, many are afraid that the government can
carry out the move, especially given the role played by Adams
Oshiomhole, APC National Chairman, in the siege to Saraki and
Ekweremadu’s homes last week prior to the defection of 14 senators to
the opposition.
Speaking with Daily Independent, Prof. Itse Sagay
(SAN), Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against
Corruption (PACAC), said the presidency lacked the power to reconvene
the Senate ahead of the September 25 resumption date.
He,
however, said if there was an urgent need for the Senate to reconvene in
order to deliberate on an urgent matter such as the issue raised by
INEC concerning funding of the 2019 election, the presidency could go to
court to seek an order compelling the Senate to resume.
“No. the
APC can’t reconvene the Senate. If the Senate decides to shut down for
that period they decided to shut down, which is September 25, the
executive arm of government cannot reverse it on their own.
“They
may, however, resort, to court action to order them to open it,
especially if there is a pressing need for them to reconvene such as the
issue of funding of election,” he said.
Yunusa Tanko, National
Chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP), also said it would be
unconstitutional for the presidency to attempt to forcibly reopen the
Senate without the input of Saraki, who is the chairman of the National
Assembly.
“I don’t think the APC-led Federal Government has that
power. I believe the National Assembly can only be reconvened by the
leadership of the National Assembly.
“If they attempt that, it
will be a gross violation of democratic ethos. If there is any
conservative way in which they want to reconvene the Senate, let them
show us.
“But as far as I am concerned, it is the leadership of
the National Assembly that can do the reconvening and that can only be
done by the Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Reps.”
Speaking
in a similar vein, Balarabe Musa, elder statesman and former governor
of Kaduna State, said the presidency could only appeal to the Senate
President to reconvene the Senate if there was a need for them to do so.
“They
can only appeal to the Senate President to come and reconvene the
parliament. They have no power to do that on their own. It will be
unconstitutional if they do so,” he said.
In his remark, Yinka
Odumakin, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, said it would
amount to political gangsterism and a return to military dictatorship if
the executive arm of government decided on their own to reconvene the
Senate.
“They lack such power and it will be political
gangsterism carried to the extreme for the executive to now go and
reconvene the Senate.
“Gradually, we are descending into a dictatorship which shouldn’t be since we are not under the military.
“So,
I don’t think they want to carry out such act, but if they do, then
that will be the end of democracy and we will be back to martial rule
and military dictatorship.”
