Saraki consolidates hold on Senate midway into the journey

Our correspondent takes a look at how the Senate has fared in the last two years of its four years lifespan.

The Eighth Senate was inaugurated with crises, no thanks to the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki (APC, Kwara), on June 9, 2015, as the Senate President, against the preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC,Yobe).

The emergence of Saraki laid the foundation for the numerous crises that enveloped the Red Chamber. Throughout the first 12 months of the Senate, it was one controversy or the other, thus the legislative arm was always in red light.

From both within and outside, the Senate received bashings, threatening the coveted seat of Saraki. To neutralise the threat, loyalists of Saraki passed vote of confidence on him twice in the first year (2015/2016).

The agitation continued until when he (Saraki) reshuffled the chairmanship of committees in July 2016, and his lone popular critic, Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara), was given a “juicy committee.”

That was the beginning of the relative peace being enjoyed at the moment. The Petroleum (Downstream) committee did the magic. Marafa, who had previously described the Senate committees as illegal, “joyfully” accepted to chair the lucrative committee.

Since then, Senator Marafa, who once faulted the purchase of exotic cars for senators, has been singing a new song. All the senators have since been given a N36.5m car each.

As the relative peace permeated the Red Chamber, then come the big one: Saraki's main rival, Senator Lawan, on January 10, this year, stepped up from being a loner to become the Senate Leader.

The sack of Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno), in a “palace coup-like manner,” paved the way for Lawan.

Ndume had on that day left the floor to perform Zuhr (noon) prayers, when his removal was perfected. 31 of the 63 APC senators signed him out.

The hitherto fresh wind of peace blew until when Ndume raised a point of order days after his removal, demanding that the budget of the National Assembly be made public. The multi billion Naira budget has been shrouded in secrecy since 2010.

Again in March, Ndume was in the news when he raised a point of order, demanding for the probe of Saraki and Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi), over SUV cars and certificate scandal respectively. He was thrown out of the Red Chamber when the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Samuel Anyanwu (PDP, Imo), recommended for his suspension. Anyanwu's committee cleared Saraki and Melaye of any wrongdoing.

Ndume, who was Saraki's partner in “betraying their party” in 2015, will remain out of the Senate until September 28, when he is expected to finish serving his suspension.

Our correspondent reports that since then, the senators have been working in unison, “fighting” the executive which they often see as a common enemy.

For instance, the suspended Secretary bills out of which 128 were passed. There were also 111 motions and 81 petitions.

Aside bills, motions and petitions, the Red Chamber screened and confirmed nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari for various appointments, including ministerial, ambassadorial, INEC commissioners and RECs, among others.

Except for the confirmation of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, majority of Buhari’s nominees got the senators nod in the year being reviewed.

Magu was twice rejected by the lawmakers over adverse report of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Another score by the Senate this year was the making of the breakdown of the National Assembly budget public. It was made public in May this year and the legislators increased their budget from N115bn proposed by President Buhari to N125bn.

A senator, while speaking on the stability in the Senate, said those who were against the emergence of Saraki at the initial stage have become more committed to the course, which the Eighth Senate had fashioned for itself under his leadership.

"Those who saw the need at the early stage of the Eighth Senate to pursue narrow minded political positions had no difficulty in reversing themselves to join the progressive senators in building the legislature,", a ranking senator said, referring to the members of the defunct Senate Unity Forum (SUF).

Speaking on peace in the Senate, Senator Marafa said the stability was not unconnected with the intervention of President Buhari, the presiding officers and the leadership of the APC.

"The Senate is stable now because of the peace brokered by the president and our party leadership. Today, we, in the APC caucus in the Senate are more united.

"While in the executive it is a one man show, here in the legislature it's teamwork. No matter your exposure, experience and knowledge, you must work with your colleagues," he said.

In an interview, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Baba Kaka Bashir Garbai (APC, Borno), said the success recorded was due to the sterling leadership quality of Saraki and that the maximum support of his colleagues added flavour to the development.

“Whether you like him or not, Saraki has done what no Senate President has done in the history of this country's democracy. I can say it with all sense of responsibility that in terms of passage of bills, resolutions and bringing unity to the Senate; he has done brilliantly well.

“In the wake of the economic recession, he (Saraki) initiated a move whereby by economic recovery became the focus in the Eighth Senate legislative agenda, which led to the setting up of a technical committee, giving rise to the setting up of National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable (NASSBER) through which many existing legislation were reviewed to address present economic challenges, “he said.

Also speaking, the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na'Allah (APC, Kebbi), praised their unflinching commitment towards building the institution of democracy that would bring about good governance and totally eliminate abuse of power by the executive arm of government, which has provided a fertile ground for corruption and bad governance in the country.

"We are trying to build an institution to strengthen our democracy. If you look at those who are sponsoring youths to attack us in pursuance of their personal interest, they have since realised that what they are doing is wrong. You cannot build an institution through blackmail.

"National Assembly is the most visible democratic signpost. We have resolved as a Senate to abide strictly by the oath of office we have taken in not allowing our personal interest to affect the discharge of our duties," he said.

The question agitating the minds of political watchers is, has Saraki weathered the storm? The second half of the game will answer this.