Kabir Marafa: Senators supporting Saraki after juicy committees

The Senate Unity Forum’s spokesman, Kabir Marafa, tells SUNDAY ABORISADEof The Punch Newspaper, that Senate President, Bukola Saraki, can resign in order to boost his integrity in the country.

Kabir Marafa

What is your impression of the senators who accompanied the Senate President to the Code of Conduct Tribunal? 

If they did it based on principle, genuine belief, love for leader and the people they represent, I think it is okay. However, my problem is that, most people you see around the senate president today are following him because of some personal benefits especially to get the chairmanship of “juicy” committees.

They don’t even have his interest at heart. It is all about them and their family. Their sycophantic embarrassing behaviour, is a means of getting posting to the “juiciest”.

Do you think that the CCT would be asked to go after the pro-Saraki senators too?

No, I don’t think so, it’s not true. No institution will deliberately go after anybody who has not done anything wrong. CCT cannot prosecute anybody for just identifying with his or her leader. The CCT should not do that at all, they will not do that. People should not be investigated just because of some trivial reasons. I believe in justice but not selective justice. The dragnet should cover everybody and in everywhere.

What did you want to say on the floor last Tuesday but you were not recognised by the presiding officer while the issue was still ongoing?

I wanted to remind the Senate that the institution is about to once again break its own rules. For instance, Rule 52 (5) says mention should not be made of any matter that is before the court. As we speak, members of the Senate Unity Forum are in court challenging the emergence of the leadership, also, the matter that prompted them to come up with that disgrace called ‘Vote of Confidence’ is also before a court of competent jurisdiction, which is the CCT. 

Definitely, it will amount to wasting the taxpayers’ money to pass a needless and useless vote of confidence because it will not change anything. Will the Senate’s vote of confidence stop the judiciary from carrying out its constitutional responsibility? The answer is no.

What is your reaction to the vote of confidence passed by your colleagues on the senate leadership, being the second in two months? 

The first vote of confidence did not make either the party or the President who is the leader of the party change their position regarding the leadership crisis, so, why should somebody think another vote of confidence will make them and the judiciary shift position? They won’t. Why should somebody keep shouting confidence if there is confidence? 

To me, another vote of confidence on the leadership in a scope of three months is a clear evidence of lack of confidence on the part of the leadership. It is just like a situation whereby your mother asked you to do something and you refused, saying your hands are tied. 

Your father then tells you to respect your mother’s supremacy but you still refused. You then chose to enter the house they built for you and called their bluff. The next thing we now heard from you was that you are leaving your mother and would sack your father from his house. 

So, the vote of confidence is a huge political blunder, a monumental waste of time and people’s money, it is self-serving and undesirable. It is, in fact, done to spite the President and our great party. It is intended to put the senate president and the senators in deeper troubles with Nigerians.

You caused a stir during plenary last week Tuesday but the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, had apologised on your behalf, what is your reaction to this? 

The apology tendered by the Deputy Senate President is highly unfortunate. I reject his apology because I did nothing un-parliamentary to warrant an apology. If Nigerians in general and my constituency in particular demand an apology from me, I will tender one, but for now they (my constituents) are happy and I am satisfied with the actions I have taken. I will still repeat the same if my right to express my views is denied again. 

The DSP is undoubtedly a smart and intelligent man, but politics and sentiment took better part of him that day, otherwise how can an experienced senator like him fail to see the embarrassment and denigration of the institution of the Senate by the mover and seconder of the baseless, needless and worthless self-serving motion brought to abuse the collective sensibilities of Nigerians and supported by some overzealous neophytes that see the senate president as a Divisional Police Officer and the committees as roadblocks.  

It’s unfortunate, I am rejecting his apology because I didn’t do anything un-parliamentary if Nigerians are not happy with my actions, I will apologise by myself, for now I am satisfied with my actions and behaviour and will repeat the same thing again and again, if I am denied my right to oppose what I think is wrong.

Some people are demanding the resignation of the Senate President so that he would clear himself of all allegations levelled against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, do you share the view?

I think it is up to him. If he resigns or steps aside to clear his name at the CCT, it will definitely add to his integrity and credibility but if he also chooses to remain, he will be covered by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that says all accused persons are innocent until they are proven guilty. It is really up to him especially because the charges against him have got nothing to do with his current office. 

It would have been argued that his continued stay would affect investigation if he was being prosecuted for an alleged breach of office as senate president or as chairman of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Ecology.

You are the most vocal senator against the senate leadership, why is this so?

The senate president is not my enemy and I am not fighting him on a personal capacity. What is happening now concerning the CCT trial is unfortunate. He can decide to step aside and allow justice to take its course and to clear his name. If he does that, I think he has no blame. However, the Constitution of Nigeria still protects him to remain on his seat and prove his innocence. 

He is not being accused of committing the offence as either the Senate president nor has anything to with his stewardship while in the Senate as chairman of the committee on environment. If his trial has to do with the issues that came up as a result of his stewardship, then, we can categorically say he should step aside so that he would not hinder investigation. But for now, he is at liberty to take either of the two options.