In tacit reaction to the call for the resignation of the senate president, Bukola Saraki, by some senators, following his defection from the ruling party to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) some other senators have vowed that he won’t resign.
In a joint statement issued yesterday by the senators representing Bauchi Central and Kwara South, Isa Hama Misau and Rafiu Ibrahim respectively, the senators warned their counterpart from Katsina South, Abu Ibrahim and other APC senators not to foment any trouble in the senate.
Misau and Rafiu who are among the 14 senators that decamped recently from the APC to PDP, called the bluff of their colleagues in the APC threatening to reconvene before the adjourned date saying Saraki won’t resign his position before and after the senate resumes on September 25.
The duo stated that senator Abu Ibrahim and his colleagues will meet their match if they tried anything illegal. Chairman, senate committee on Police Affairs, Abu Ibrahim, had in an interview with some newsmen, insist that Saraki must, for peace to reign in the senate and the overall interest of the nation and democracy, resign his position.
Ibrahim, who is also the chairman, board of national committee for Buhari support group, also indicated that senate may opt to reconvene before the adjourned date since the upper chamber requires only 30 senators to reconvene session at any point in time.
“I hear the PDP claiming majority but it is crystal clear that APC has majority. We will have more members. We will have elections. We will have the two members. We also have some alliance with APGA. It is clear that APC now 53, has majority.
“APC with majority should produce the leadership in the Senate. 49 cannot produce the leadership,’’ Ibrahim stated.
But senators Misau and Ibrahim said any attempt to reconvene without the approval of Saraki and other principal officers of the senate, would amount to foisting illegality in the upper chamber, which would lead to breakdown of law and order in the senate and by extension, in the country.
“It is obvious from the statements of Abu Ibrahim that he and his cohorts are not democrats. They do not believe in the rule of law, the provisions of the constitution, the standing order of the senate, parliamentary procedure and the due process.
“How will a supposed democrat be threatening disruption of peace in the parliament because his party lost members and lost its majority status? His statements showed why one of them led thugs to disrupt the proceeding of the senate, steal the mace, the symbol of authority of the legislature, and yet there is no consequence.
‘‘Both the mastermind and his thugs are being protected from prosecution. Now, Abu Ibrahim has given us an insight into what they are planning and we will be ready for them. He has also shown an indication of how he, as the chairman of the police affairs committee, have been misusing the police against other Senators.
“APC should note that they are now the minority party. PDP has more members. When we resume, if they push us, we will move for a head count of members and change some of our principal officers to reflect party strength. Today, by the list paraded by APC themselves, they have only 48 Senators and PDP has 54, APGA has 2 and ADC has 2. There are two vacancies. That is the distribution in the Senate. Let them continue to deceive themselves.’’
