Are Nigerian senators illogical? -By Ebere Wabara

Bukola Saraki, Nigeria’s Senate President

It would be demonstrative of summit na­ivety for anyone to declare that the ongo­ing prosecution of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on a 13-count criminal charge by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) over false declaration of assets, is devoid of political subterfuge (undercur­rent and undertone in popular parlance). Similarly, it is optimal abuse of words for anyone to describe it as witch-hunt. If it were baboons, mundane issues like eth­nicity, religion, gender, family relation­ships, among other obfuscatory matters, would have come to the fore. Such myopic thoughts are exclusively symptomatic of a deranged society.

Last week, 82 insensitive senators, amid charlatanistic avowals, rehashed confi­dence in Saraki through a vote. Other senators kept away from the circus show played mostly by kindergartners. The il­logicality of their initial brazen interven­tion has culminated in specious meddle­someness. What is this vote of confidence supposed to achieve? Is it to infuriate the judge, make him wash his hands off the case as he has astonishingly done or in­timidate him? The affected senators in this show of shame must be thinking that the old order still subsists. Do they think that the currency of change is a mirage?

There should be no emotions, esprit de corp or boyishness in very clear constitu­tional issues. All Nigerians are equal before the law—at least theoretically. Nobody, in principle, is above the law. It has become routinous for senators in Nigeria to identi­fy with one of their own anytime there is a challenge in whatever form. The clownish camaraderie forecloses any complicity or possible crime committal by the leadership of this category of legislative jesters.

This legislative asininity has once more thrown up the question mark on the com­position and character of the National Assembly, particularly the upper legisla­tive chamber. The fundamental point that needs emphasis is that most of these law­makers found themselves in the senate due to our grossly imperfect electoral system. How do you rationalize a situation where all failed governors head for the senate? If things were properly done, this class of politicians should not hold any other public office by either appointment or purported election. These are the same incompetent functionaries who squandered their states’ resources and could not pay salaries! It is often alleged that most of these infantile senators have unscrupulous antecedents that border on shady deals and a pedigree of swindles. Do we need scammers as senators? Until men of integrity, capacity and competency constitute our senate, we shall continue to have a regime of legisla­tive rascality that smacks of bohemianism.

Are the defenders of Saraki in the ongo­ing trial saying that because it has political nuances, the criminality should be swept under the carpet? In a related development in the matter, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, last week also congratulated Saraki on submit­ting himself for inquest at the tribunal! Did the Senate President have any choice in this case? Why congratulate a man upon taking his bath? We must all be cautious in our deployment of words written by untrained speechwriters—especially when it comes from hallowed cubicles. It would make sense to me if anyone con­gratulates Saraki if he resigns because it is rare in Nigeria.

Ahead of 2019, there should be a pro­viso in our electoral law that makes it mandatory for the Economic and Finan­cial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent and Corrupt Practices and allied matters Commission (ICPC), the Directorate of State Security (DSS), the Nigeria Police, the CCB, the National Hospital or any of the federal medical centres to scan prospective political aspi­rants before they even collect nomination forms. This is the only antidote to the travesty of confidence vote, among other selfish effronteries that take precedence over lawmaking.

I do not know why anyone would say that Sarakigate is being fertilized by media propaganda. It is crass irresponsi­bility for a senator to rope in the media in this clear case that deserves robust publicity because being the third citizen demands some measure of propriety and public chemistry. What gave rise to the interdiction was not a function of the me­dia. The reportage is in line with profes­sional treatment of such events. It must be put on record that the communication essence of this matter has nothing against any senator, the senate and its leadership.

According to Senator David Umaru (APC Niger), the ongoing prosecution is “unwarranted embarrassment and asper­sion being cast on the senate,” enthusing that it is “cheap blackmail”. This is ex­actly what a small fry would say when he is jesting with other tiny tots. Who is embarrassing and blackmailing who? What kind of begging the question is this? Instead of addressing the criminal charges levelled at his colleague, this fellow is go­ing to Afghanistan where moppets make laws! If there is any embarrassment at all in this matter, it is self-inflicted.

The tepid argument by one mite that Nigerians elected the senators and no “outsider” should decide for them who leads the upper legislative chamber is the hallmark of a brat. It is only a papoose that can be an outsider on issues concern­ing good governance and meaningful legislation in his country. Is the bambino saying that after questionable election of some senators the electorate should go to sleep and allow cherubs run the rest of us aground? For the interest of other senato­rial striplings, they represent themselves and not “outsiders” (no pun intended!) hence their passionate commitment to is­sues affecting them and morbid noncha­lance to extraneous national challenges. Have you ever pondered for a minute why our lawmakers are the highest paid in the world? Left to me alone, we should have part-time legislature or none at all. What are they contributing to national develop­ment!

Just last week, too, the House of Rep­resentatives mandated its speaker to meet President Muhammadu Buhari to find a political solution to the Saraki stuff. This is quite disgraceful. It signposts un­briddled corruption. Why should such a thought ever cross the minds of legisla­tors? Does that not imply sweeping the criminal charges under the carpet? Can someone expatiate on this travesty? I can­not come to terms with this kind of au­dacity. These are the same people making laws for us! We sure need changes here.

What manner of senators are these? Are they laddies of illogic?