Senate Split into Two Over Moves to Punish Anti-Saraki Senator

It was yet another rowdy session as Senators were involved in a row over moves by the Senate president and some senators to sanction Zamfara State Senator Kabir Marafa over an interview he granted to a national newspaper.

There was row yesterday, as the Senate moved to sanction Zamfara State Senator Kabir Marafa, who is known to be vocal and a consistent critic of Senate President Bukola Saraki over the inteview he granted to Punch.

Marafa has insisted that Saraki should step down until his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal is concluded.

The senators said Mr. Marafa defamed the image of the Senate and misled the public in a report published by Punch.

Saraki directed the matter to be probed by Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions chaired by Senator Samuel Anyanwu. The committee was given one week within which to submit a report to the Senate.

Marafa (Zamfara Central) was accused to have backed a widely publicised letter by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in which he accused lawmakers of profligacy in the management of resources. He was accused of bringing ridiculing the Senate.

The point of order was raised by Senator Isah Misau at yesterday’s plenary, according to him, the said interview was misleading, particularly at a time the National Assembly was working to pass the 2016 national budget. He described Marafa’s comments as falsehood and unfortunate.

He insisted that Marafa must be made to face the music for such irresponsibility. He was supported by Senator Matthew Urhoghide (PDP, Edo South) who said it was disheartening that Marafa would continually bring the Senate into disrepute.

“If anybody had bothered to read that interview, you would know that it is an issue that we must not treat with kid gloves,” Urhoghide said.

However, Senator Ahmed Lawan warned the Senate to concentrate on more demanding issues instead of wasting time on things that are irrelevant. He asked the Senate to turn its attention to more serious national challenges to tackle, particularly the dwindling oil prices.

Lawan said: “I will advise the Senate that instead of spending so much time on how an individual senator could say something and rubbish the entire institution, we should rather take the bull by the horns and focus on our fundamental functions and mandates. If we do that, no Nigerian will not respect the National Assembly or indeed the Senate”.

Senator Abu Ibrahim supported him and said: “We have so many pressing problems in this country. We should concentrate on those issues that will move the nation forward. But here we are trying to cause more troubles for ourselves. If we are doing anything to our colleague, we are doing so to ourselves collectively.”

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