The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) a group of civil-society, community-based and other non-governmental organizations has asked the Clerk of the Senate to withhold the salaries of the lawmakers that followed Saraki’s wife to the EFCC.
In a statement signed Debo Adeniran the Executive Chairman of the group, said; “As concerned Nigerian, our Coalition was taken aback last week to see the large entourage of Mrs. Toyin Saraki, wife of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki which comprised mainly of the elected ‘honourable’ lawmakers from both the higher and lower chambers of the National Assembly.”
Speaking further the group said; “These lawmakers and supposed representatives of the Nigerian people, reportedly accompanied Mrs. Saraki, who was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to answer to an allegation of corrupt practices, in a show of solidarity with the accused. It is disheartening that a total of twenty-five legislators could abandon their statutory duties to follow Mrs. Saraki to the office of the EFCC and waited for over the six hours that the exercise lasted.”
According to the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL , it said is particularly disturbed and miffed at what could termed, not only a show of shame, but a clear departure from what their primary constitutional duties are; “Although they have the right to presume that Toyin Saraki is not guilty until convicted, so could decide to show their support, but doing that at the detriment of their constitutional duties is highly reprehensible. Our findings show that there were sittings in both the House of Representatives and the House of Senate on the said day Toyin Saraki went to the EFCC. This presupposes that the 25 lawmakers boycotted the sittings to perform the shameless role of ‘bodyguards’ to Mrs. Saraki. It is highly condemnable that our lawmakers would leave their statutory role of law-making while playing the meddlesome interloper, thereby diminishing the exalted chambers they represent.”
“As much as we do not have much against their show of shame, however, paying the lawmakers sitting allowance for the days they didn’t sit would amount to double jeopardy for our dear country. To this end, since those who accompanied Toyin Saraki to the EFCC’s office didn’t attend the sittings, they should not be paid for those days. Aside withholding their allowances, we urge the House to query this untoward attitude of these ‘dishonourable’ honourables as failure to do so would encourage the perpetration of greater shenanigans by our elected lawmakers. Thanking you for the anticipated understanding and cooperation while hoping you will address the matter with the utmost urgency it deserves,” it said.
Source: Universal Reporters.