By Teddy Nwanunobi
The Senate, on Tuesday, declared that its President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, will be investigated over an alleged car seized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The Red Chamber of Nigeria’s National Assembly also announced that it will investigate the Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT, Dino Melaye, over an alleged certificate forgery.
Both investigations will be conducted by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, and the report is expected to be laid on the floor of Plenary in four weeks’ time.
The above investigations were sequel to a point of order that was moved by the senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, at Tuesday Plenary.
Ndume, who moved the point of order, explained that the investigations became necessary because Nigerians were already insulting the Senate over the two issues.
Ndume
The Plenary was presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, as Saraki could not preside over the affairs of the Upper Legislative Chamber.
Saraki’s absence from the Plenary was because he was at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for his ongoing case.
Ndume’s Vengeance Mission:
When the news broke, a lot of arguments were raised as to what the investigations would lead to.
First, it is important to bring to the fore here Ndume was the erstwhile Senate Majority Leader until his removal from office paved way for Ahmed Lawan.
The second point to note here is that it was Melaye, who moved the motion that ousted ousted Ndume from his exalted position.
The above points have led so many political analysts to view Ndume’s call for the duo’s investigation as a vengeance mission in the Senate.
But some analysts believe that Ndume may be innocent of what he is being accused of.
Only time would tell of Ndume’s innocence because Saraki has quickly denied the allegation, saying that he has nothing to do with the importation of any vehicle.
He added that the matter is an issue between the supplier of the vehicle and the Customs since the Senate was yet take to delivery of the vehicle.
Reacting to the allegation, Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, stated that the allegation raised by Ndume on the floor of Plenary, linking Saraki to the importation of vehicle lacks basis, as it was outright falsehood.
Saraki
Olaniyonu argued that, it is obvious that Saraki has nothing to do with the importation of any vehicle, based on the available facts and documents about the seized vehicle.
“A supplier was engaged by the Senate to supply a vehicle. While transferring the vehicle between Lagos and Abuja, it was impounded by the Customs. We believe that is an issue between the supplier and the Customs because the Senate has not taken delivery. So, why is somebody trying to drag in the name of Saraki into the issue.
“The documents on the vehicle are there for the general public to view and make their conclusions. Now, that the matter has been referred to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, all the facts will be out,” Olaniyonu stated.
Senate vs Ali:
Reports already have it that Senate’s summoning of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, to answer questions bothering on the Service’s new vehicles’ duty’s policy was linked to an alleged imported vehicle by Saraki, which was seized by the Service.
Senate even went as far as demanding that Ali must appear before it, dressed in complete Customs uniform.
When Ali eventually appeared last Wednesday in plain clothes, he was walked out of the hallowed chamber, and was told to reappear this Wednesday, dressed in complete Customs uniform.
Ali was cornered by Villa correspondents at the Aso Rock, and they asked the retired Army colonel, if he would respond to the summon.
Ali
But Ali promptly said that he will not appear before the Senate again.
The issue has become a thing of great concern to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which had hoped that both parties would since have resolved their differences in a manner that would be agreeable to all the parties involved.
Consequently, the Party has decided to broker peace in the ongoing Senate, Ali face-off.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) has keenly observed the controversy that has trailed the invitation extended to the Comptroller General of The Nigerian Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) by the Senate.
“We have watched the issues with growing concern and the expectations that they would be resolved in a manner that would be agreeable to all the parties involved.
“However, we wish to state that at this point, we have found it necessary to intervene. Accordingly, the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun will lead the party’s peace mission to the Leadership of the National Assembly and the concerned party member. We are confident that the party’s effort to broker peace would resolve the matter amicably,” it said in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile, Melaye has continued to dare his critics to take him to the law court, or unleash the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on him, if they are so sure of their facts.
Divided Nigerians:
There is a strong believe amongst Nigerians that Senate’s investigations of both Saraki and Melaye is a huge joke. For these Nigerians, the outcome of the investigations are already known, as both men would come would receive clean bills of health.
Melaye
However, others feel that being investigated by fellow senators might turn out to be a good omen in disguise for the country, especially with the perceived division among the senators. This group of Nigerians strongly feels that it is better for one’s enemies to be divided than they are united.
From the point of those, who do not believe in the in-house investigations, they maintained that it is better for Saraki’s case is better handled by the Ali-led Customs, while Melaye’ issue is better left with the EFCC. This group maintained that the Senate would have been taken very serious, if it had written to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to investigate the allegations.
There is a strong stance by the nays here, who are even of the opinion that the Senate leadership has what it takes to entice or intimidate the leaderships of any Senate committee. There is also the claim that the investigations will be nothing, but business as usual, as the Senate is just pretending.
In his analysis of the whole exercise, ace journalist, Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu said that it is all about working from the answer.
“The whole thing, as I see it, is just about what is called wagging the tail. They just want to divert your attention, and use the opportunity to create a better image for themselves. The investigation will return a clean bill, and you and I will go back to say, after all, Saraki and Dino were probed by the Senate, and nothing was found to be true of the allegations against them.
“Ask: If Senate finds that Dino forged his certificate, what would it do? Would Senate disqualify him, or throw him out of the Senate? Of course, it has no powers to do so. Such powers lie with the courts, and only persons, who could establish their locus could bring a case against him, on the grounds of certificate forgery. In this case, this would be a matter for the senator he ‘defeated’ to enter the Senate to handle. Every other thing is entertainment.
“On the allegation against Saraki: Do you expect the Senate, which stood behind him when he was arraigned before the CCT over allegations of asset declaration fraud, to now rise, investigate and find him culpable of import duty fraud? If you expect such, then, you must be far from reality. The whole exercise, to my mind, is simply working from the answer. Every blind, deaf and dump knows exactly what the outcome would most likely be,” the Editor of TheUnion newspaper said.
