Senator Kabir Garba Marafa of the Zamfara
Central senatorial zone has urged Nigerians to
resist attempts by some senators to change the
constitution in order to save Senate President
Bukola Saraki from his trial for corruption at the
Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
In an interview with our correspondent, Mr.
Marafa reminded Nigerians that the current
moves to gut the laws establishing the CCT
highlighted his earlier warning the forgery of the
Senate’s standing rules.
“You can also recall my call on the leadership of
the Senate to respect the ranking rules,” said
Senator Marafa, adding, “The chickens are now
coming home to roost.”
He said what happened in the Senate last week
when pro-Saraki senators tried to carry out an
underhanded attempt to amend the laws
establishing the CCT, was propelled by blind,
Unclad ambition and the personal interests of a
few.
He explained that most senators either walked
out or refused to waste time opposing the bills
was hinged on two factors—that Deputy Senate
President Ike Ekweremadu was presiding and
that many senators did not want to waste their
time arguing non-issues.
He said, “All the three proposed bills fall under
constitutional amendment and not an act of the
National Assembly.”
Senator Marafa stated that the bill that was
passed for second reading yesterday attempted
to rearrange the constitution and redraft it to
suit the narrow purpose of Senator Saraki and his
supporters “This is pure constitutional
amendment,” said Senator Marafa. He explained
that the second bill that was stood down sought
to delete or ignore sections of the constitution,
adding that the third bill was a controversial
attempt to enlarge the immunity clause.
Senator Marafa stated that Nigerians should lose
no sleep over the current illegal moves by the
pro-Saraki senators, describing their efforts as
“dead on arrival.” However, he said it was
“unfortunate that an issue like this can even be
listed and given an accelerated hearing in the
hallowed chamber presided over by a senior
lawyer.”
