NASS: Season of Protests Over Saraki

  
The trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has revealed the hitherto veiled sharp divide running through the polity. ANDREW ESSIEN in this piece, writes on the undercurrent of the opinions brought forth on the issue.

One would have thought that after 17 years of back to back democratic process in the country, Nigerians would have been able to take a position on an issue collectively or at the very least, allow the statutory laws of the land to settle all issues even as regards those in the court of public opinion.


The travails of the Senate president, Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has further highlighted the underlying case of clandestine division as to how issues should be dealt with in the land. While some are of the opinion that his problems stem from his non-alliance with his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the actualisation of his ambition, others query the timing of the trial, wondering why the issue should come up at all, long after he had finished his term as governor of Kwara State.

Some members of the public have even gone a step further to, ingeniously, go down memory lane to recall that a similar situation had played out in the not too distant past, involving the national leader of APC and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, which many had opined then that the charges brought against him were politically-motivated and as such, should be quashed, calling on the same measure to be extended to Saraki.

Another school of thought posits that since he is the current president of the Senate, he should be allowed to continue so that the polity would not be overheated unnecessarily. They add that once his term is completed, the case can come up again.

Others have alleged that Saraki’s defence team is exploiting legal technicalities of the laws to prolong this trial, thereby paving way for political “settlement”, which may see CCT dropping those charges against the Senate President.

Consequent upon the foregoing, the presumption of innocence, which is predicated on the premise that the burden of proof is on he who alleges, not on he who denies, is the principle that one is considered innocent until proven guilty.

One cannot however downplay the fact that Nigerians, judging by events that have played out in our society, have become so fed up with this menace called corruption, which has unfortunately eaten deep into the fabric of the nationhood, so much so that any public official accused or even charged with corruption, will get an automatic conviction in the Court of Public Opinion, long before the trial begins at the court of competent jurisdiction.

The case involving the senate president therefore, has put the country to the test, brought the judiciary to a point where it must, once again, prove itself and the practitioners of law, a chance to test their witt.

On the party front, its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun presented what will pass as the view of the APC stating that the party will not interfere with the ongoing process. In other words, the senate president will face the music all by himself.

Analysts are of the opinion that having got there by himself, without the party’s “blessings”, he must now face the troubles all by himself. After all, just like a child who decides to marry without his family’s consent, he would have to dance to the tune of the marriage when it begins to chime with an off tune.

Oyegun said “We don’t take anything for granted. As they are planning, we are also planning. The situation is under control. The whole situation is unfortunate but it is real.

“What political situation in a legal matter? Are the judges politicians? The President is certainly not the type who will interfere in a judicial matter. I think we know him well. Everybody must know him. Things must be done normally. And that is part of the change mantra that we must play by the rule so that we don’t truncate processes.

“People don’t seem to internalise what change is. If the President says “court, free that man”, the same president can say “court, imprison that man.” Is that the Nigeria you want? No! Change means allowing the law to take the proper course. I can tell you the President won’t interfere. The President is definite, straight and firm in all facets.”

What is however more worrisome is the deafening silence of some key party bigwigs on the matter even as some say that Saraki’s fall may place the control of the leadership of the senate at the doorstep of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This, in itself, is indicative of the position of party leaders who, on normal circumstances, would have swung into action to stave off any ontoward move to oust him.

Leading the Civil Society, a group under the aegis of Citizens United for Peace and Stability (CUPS) last week staged a peaceful rally demanding the immediate resignation of the Senate President over the myriad of cases preferred against him.

Another group of professionals also protested, this time for Senator Bukola Saraki. The group threatened to replicate the occupy National Assembly protest being carried out by anti–Saraki protesters at the National Assembly.

The protesters, carrying banners and posters with various inscriptions like, “Saraki will not resign”, “Saraki will remain senate president”, “Leave Saraki alone”, “APC save our party, save National Assembly”, and “Stop witchunting Saraki”, among others, said that what the occupy NASS protesters had done would be replicated at the Villa Gate if certain actions were not taken by President Buhari and leadership of the APC.

Their leader, Mr. Ohazuruike Tochukwu, a legal practitioner, said they were in the National Assembly to draw the attention of Nigerians to the alleged injustice being perpetrated against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, through the judiciary.

“We want to let you know that Nigerians demand execution of campaign promises and not persecution of perceived enemies. We want to let you know that we stand for fairness and justice, autonomy to all arms of government.

“We stand for accountability, and transparency by all public office holders, and that we stand with Saraki and the National Assembly and demand that the executive should desist from impunity that led to the unpopularity of the last government.

“If our demands are not met by next week Wednesday, we shall commence a massive unprecedented move to occupy Aso Rock”

Tochukwu claimed he singlehandedly sponsored the protest, just as he asked Saraki to remain in office and that no amount of harassment should intimidate him out office until 2019.

Analysts say that while bringing politicians and public office holders to account, the people canvassing for or against the Senate President must be careful to stand on the side of moral rectitude such that long after this issue has been rested, posterity will speak kindly about them.

Above all, the boat must not be rocked or overheated, Nigeria must prevail above self.