Senators belonging to the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) have expressed dismay over last Friday’s warrant of arrest
issued by the Code of Conduct Tribunal against Senate President Bukola
Saraki.
The CCT had ordered Solomon Arase, the Inspector General of Police, and other related security agencies in the country to arrest Saraki following his absence at the beginning of his trial over alleged false declaration of assets before Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in 2003.
Reacting to this, PDP senators at the weekend said the action of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was highly detrimental to the survival of democracy in Nigeria, This Day reports.
They also accused the APC of deliberately plotting crisis that was capable of causing chaos in the country.
Speaking on the issue, Senator Joshua Dariye (PDP, Plateau Central), said the way the APC aws going after perceived political enemies was not a good development.
He advised the ruling party and Saraki to settle their differences and work for the development of the country.
On his part, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji (Ebonyi South), said the alleged witch-hunt of Saraki showed that the APC government was only committed to victimizing its political enemies.
According to him, it was an indication that the ruling party had no programme of governance but only wants to lead the nation to anarchy.
He said: “What is happening to the President of the Senate is political, to the extent that even the blind can see it very well. They are going about it the wrong way. It is interesting to see that the Code of Conduct Tribunal is treating Nigeria to a new form of constitution. It is obvious that it is the Attorney-General of the Federation that can take somebody to court but in this case, we see a deputy director taking the President of the Senate to court.”
Ogbuoji however, said he believed President Muhammadu Buhari had no hand in what was going, blaming the crisis on some overzealous politicians, who were acting for their selfish interest.
The CCB had filed a 13-count corruption charge against Saraki for failing to declare his assets fully, alleged misuse of the state funds for purchasing private assets while serving as Kwara state governor and others. In reaction, the Senate president had described the 13 count corruption charge as frivolous.
Timi Frank, APC deputy national publicity secretary, wrote an open letter to President Buhari over Saraki’s ordeal, calling on him to intervene before a political crisis is started within the party.
But the president has distanced himself from the on-going trial of Saraki, saying there was no way he could stop the trial or do anything to alter justice.
The CCT had ordered Solomon Arase, the Inspector General of Police, and other related security agencies in the country to arrest Saraki following his absence at the beginning of his trial over alleged false declaration of assets before Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in 2003.
Reacting to this, PDP senators at the weekend said the action of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was highly detrimental to the survival of democracy in Nigeria, This Day reports.
They also accused the APC of deliberately plotting crisis that was capable of causing chaos in the country.
Speaking on the issue, Senator Joshua Dariye (PDP, Plateau Central), said the way the APC aws going after perceived political enemies was not a good development.
He advised the ruling party and Saraki to settle their differences and work for the development of the country.
On his part, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji (Ebonyi South), said the alleged witch-hunt of Saraki showed that the APC government was only committed to victimizing its political enemies.
According to him, it was an indication that the ruling party had no programme of governance but only wants to lead the nation to anarchy.
He said: “What is happening to the President of the Senate is political, to the extent that even the blind can see it very well. They are going about it the wrong way. It is interesting to see that the Code of Conduct Tribunal is treating Nigeria to a new form of constitution. It is obvious that it is the Attorney-General of the Federation that can take somebody to court but in this case, we see a deputy director taking the President of the Senate to court.”
Ogbuoji however, said he believed President Muhammadu Buhari had no hand in what was going, blaming the crisis on some overzealous politicians, who were acting for their selfish interest.
The CCB had filed a 13-count corruption charge against Saraki for failing to declare his assets fully, alleged misuse of the state funds for purchasing private assets while serving as Kwara state governor and others. In reaction, the Senate president had described the 13 count corruption charge as frivolous.
Timi Frank, APC deputy national publicity secretary, wrote an open letter to President Buhari over Saraki’s ordeal, calling on him to intervene before a political crisis is started within the party.
But the president has distanced himself from the on-going trial of Saraki, saying there was no way he could stop the trial or do anything to alter justice.