Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara Central), who was at the forefront of the campaign for emergence of Senator Ahmed Lawan against the incumbent Senate President Bukola Saraki during the campaign for the seat, may face suspension Tuesday.
The scheduled suspension of Marafa will follow recommendations of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions which investigated him for disparaging comments against the Senate and, by extension, the National Assembly.
Two senators, Isah Misau (APC, Bauchi Central) and Matthew Urhoghide (PDP, Edo South) petitioned the Senate last week, alleging unparliamentary conduct against Lawan.
He is accused by the petitioners of making comments and publishing comments in national dailies that demeaned the reputation of the National Assembly.
Six senators warn Marafa
The accusations came as six Senators, including Tayo Alasoadura (APC, Ondo Central); Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP, Delta North); Rafiu Ibrahim (APC, Kwara South); Obinna Ogba (PDP, Ebonyi North); Isa Misau (APC, Bauchi Central) and Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger North), warned Marafa that the Senate would no longer tolerate disparaging remarks against it and the entire National Assembly.
At the committee’s sitting in Abuja on Monday to investigate his alleged uncomplimentary conduct, Marafa, who was expected to appear to defend himself over the allegation, failed to show up.
Before the committee began sitting, Marafa told a journalist on phone that he would honour the committee’s invitation to defend himself, adding that he got the committee’s invitation to appear through a text message from an unknown number. But Marafa was conspicuously absent throughout the one and half hours that the committee sat.
During the sitting, Senator Matthew Urhoghide (PDP, Edo South) told the committee that Marafa, in several interviews with some national dailies, alluded to claims by former president Olusegun Obasanjo that the National Assembly was corrupt.
He expressed disappointment over such accusations against a reputable arm of government saddled with the onerous task of ensuring good governance in the country.
According to him, Marafa made statements that infringed on the rights of the lawmakers and the legislature at large.
He said: “On January 27, the electronic media was inundated with accusations by former president Olusegun Obasanjo and I saw it as an affront because facts were misplaced and I felt demeaned because of his deliberate attempt to malign us. I was not bothered about Obasanjo’s claims but on February 7, Senator Marafa granted an interview and what he said are in tandem with the claims of Obasanjo.
“I don’t think the 8th Senate has expressed any element of greed or recklessness. These are not friendly terms, they are despicable; so he should be called to explain how corrupt the Senate is. The committee should ask him why he colluded with Obasanjo to bring the reputation of the Senate down.”
Senator Urhoghide added that Marafa further made several unguarded statements about the Senate, including the constitution of standing committees, selection of new senators as heads of committees and proposed purchase of vehicles among others, and urged the Senate to invoke its Standing Rule by punishing Marafa to serve as deterrent and forestall a recurrence of similar statements from other lawmakers.
Committee Chairman, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, said the committee would deliberate on the issue and report to the Senate on Tuesday for the appropriate action to be taken.
He said: “I got a letter dated, February 17 from Sen. Marafa, signed by his legislative aide, indicating that the senator was out of town to condole with Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi, who lost his mother. The letter further indicated that the senator would be back at the weekend and would be ready for hearing anytime this week.“
After the chairman spoke, newsmen were asked to leave after which the committee immediately went into a closed door session.
A member of the committee, who declined to be named, said later that the committee recommended suspension of the senator.
Why I wasn’t there — Marafa
Speaking about why he failed to appear as earlier assured, Marafa later claimed he was not invited.
He described the submission of the clerk that he was duly invited as unfortunate because, according to him, the only invitation he received from the committee was duly responded to, stressing that he was not invited to the Monday sitting.
He said: “Being a member of the Ethics Committee for four years, I know the importance of the committee. I am ready to appear if I am duly invited. I respect the institution of the Senate and I will do everything to project its image positively.
“I have no reason to answer the text message of the clerk apart frim having responded to a formal letter of invitation. I got the text inviting me to the committee’s hearing for Thursday, last week, which I replied. I called him again on Wednesday evening and he did not pick his call. Since then, I did not hear from anybody. Today, I received a phone call from the clerk asking whether I am coming for the hearing.
“I asked when he invited me to the meeting and he said he sent a text to me when he could not reach me. I went through all my phone messages and I did not see any text from him at all. I challenge the clerk to show me any evidence that he sent any text to me.”
Marafa said it would be unfair on the part of the committee to recommend any drastic action against him without hearing from him.
-Vanguard