Ndume: Senate Won’t Witness Rowdy Session Today over Saraki’s Trial

As the Senate resumes plenary today, Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, had dismissed insinuations that the Senate would degenerate into a rowdy session over perceived moves by some senators in Senate Unity Forum to demand for the resignation of Senate President Bukola Saraki over his forthcoming trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Following the judgement of the apex court which dismissed the appeal of Saraki seeking to stop the CCT from proceeding with his trial over false declaration of assets in 2003 when he was the Governor of Kwara State on February 5, Senator Kabir Marafa (Zamfara Central) had asked him to step aside, saying his continuity in office while undergoing trial would be a stigma for the Senate.

Therefore, there is a belief that the group loyal to Senator Ahmad Lawan which contested for the office with Saraki will vehemently demand his withdrawal from the office today in view of the perceived moral burden that the trial will mean for the institution.

However, Ndume said in as much as Saraki has not been convicted, he is not yet guilty of any crime and hence, no such demand will arise today. He added that if eventually the matter comes up, it will be accordingly dealt with.

“Resumption of plenary tomorrow (today) in view of comments on Saraki’s resignation

Let me refer you to Section 35(5) of our constitution which talks about right of fair hearing. The Constitution clearly states that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

“In this case, if somebody is accused as Saraki is accused now, do you expect him to say he will resign? It means you have found him guilty even before the trial, which is not fair. That is my position. I have been in this business for a very long time. I am not expecting any rowdy session. There is no big deal in that.If events happen like this, we know how too handle it. We don’t have problem with that,” he said.

Reacting to his alleged frequent visits to the Villa to mediate between the presidency and Saraki, Ndume said he had been a friend of President Muhammadu Buhari for a long time and therefore would continue to visit him.

Ndume added that as the Leader of the Senate, there were a lot of consultations that were necessary between the executive and the legislature adding that his visits to the Villa should not be misconstrued to mean something else, saying he would continue to visit the Villa as both the president and his deputy were his friends.

He also argued that his visit to the Villa had nothing to do with the forthcoming trial of the President of the Senate at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

``I am happy to be seen or called a mediator: I am the senate leader and we do consultation, I go to do consultation and we should be doing that more often.

When the President was in Kaduna on retirement I am one of the few person sthat go to visit him so this time around it will not change.

``We have also extablished a good relationship with the vice president and if there is any other issue that come up and demands my going to the Villa, I do not know why I should not go. Why should my presence at the Villa be news? For your information, I was at the Villa again today.

“I cannot be going to the Villa because of Saraki and the issue of Saraki is not a big deal. He is in court accused of certain things. It is the court that will determine his innocence or otherwise. If at all I have any role to play in that case, there is nothing wrong with that. I am the Leader of the Senate,” he said.

Ndume also said the Senate was committed to passing a budget that will be implementable.