Senate draws another battle line with Presidency, summons Prof Sagay (Updated)

The Senate, on Wednesday, summoned the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, over his alleged disparaging comments against the Red Chamber.

Sagay is to appear before the Senate committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, to explain why he allegedly described Senators as “childish and irresponsible” for pushing President Muhammadu Buhari to sack Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu a fortnight.

Prof. Sagay is also expected to explain why he reportedly said that the Senate is “filled with people of questionable character who put personal interest ahead of the nation.”

The lawmakers said that it became necessary to invite the presidential aide, who is a Professor of jurisprudence, to name the questionable characters in the Senate.

The resolution followed a motion of privilege, moved by Senate Deputy Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South) who told the Senate that Sagay infringed on his integrity, character and privilege as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Senator Na’Allah referred to a publication by a national daily which quoted Sagay to have said: “But the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), described the Senate’s action, calling on Buhari to sack Magu in two weeks, as childish and irresponsible.

“Sagay told one of our correspondents in a telephone interview that the Senate was filled with people of questionable character, who put their personal interest ahead of that of the nation.”

Na’Allah said: “There is no dispute as to the fact that today distinguished senator Na’Allah is a senator. If somebody in the standing of Professor Sagay who made this comment, it means this Senate is under obligation to invite Itse Sagay to come and name the questionable people that fills this Senate. It is very important at this stage of our political development. It is very important.
“Let me say with the greatest respect that if due diligence has been done in respect of who the person and personality of Prof. Sagay is, I am absolutely sure that he will not have been appointed in that position.

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“But let me say with due respect that I Bala Ibn Na’Allah am not a person of questionable integrity. Let me equally say that no senator here is a person of questionable integrity.

“For somebody in Itse Sagay’s position to come and call this Senate irresponsible and that we are childish and persons of questionable character it behoves on this Senate to call upon him to appear before the Ethics and Privileges committee to say who are of questionable integrity because we came here by name and he should name names and Nigerians are entitled to know and we should know the basis of that.

“We will argue about this matter here and there but in conclusion the public will have the benefit of knowing where the irresponsibility lies and I hope I have made my point.”

Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, who also felt maligned by Sagay’s alleged comments said: “I believe that if there is anything that this administration needs is cordiality, a relationship between the legislature and the executive. It therefore behoves every presidential aides from ministers to the least in the ladder to behave responsibly to encourage and sustain the very cordial relationship between the National Assembly and the administration. Mr. President we are elected people just like the president is an elected president.

“The Nigerian public has every right to criticise us, call us to order where we erred, proffer suggestions and way out where they think we need that. But I take special and serious exception when a presidential aide instead of trying to bring people together the two sides of government would speak in this manner that is so divisive and necessarily creating tensions between the two arms of government and dragging and pulling down this administration from achieving those very noble and laudable campaign promises.

“I therefore take this opportunity to advise presidential aides if you have to speak when you have to speak, if you must speak to use the language that will bring the executive and the legislature into some understanding for us to achieve what Nigerians need most.

“We are not above board and I want to emphasise this. Nigerians have the rights to speak because they brought us here but a Presidential aide hasn’t got that right. He can only proffer suggestions on the way out. I therefore believe that what the deputy leader has raised is serious, it is fundamental and I hope it will be an eye opener.”

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi who urged his colleagues to ignore Sagay “because it is in his character to cause confusion” said: “I want to create three scenarios so that this Senate will be able to understand the person we are talking of and for us to know if there is any need at all to invite him.

“Mr President, if you remember last year when the Supreme Court of Nigeria gave a ruling in a matter staying proceedings in an action, Prof. Sagay came out and cast aspersions on the judges of the Supreme Court and said everything he wanted to say about the judges of the Supreme Court that served in that panel.

“The Nigerian Bar Association then under Barrister Alegheh, SAN came out to apologise on behalf of NBA, he took on the NBA, he said all sorts of things about NBA.

“The same Prof. Sagay when he was a professor of law in University of Benin and a woman .Prof. Alele Williams was appointed a Vice chancellor for the University of Benin from Delta. Prof Itse Sagay with two other professors became intransigent and tried to pull down the administration of this woman because a woman was appointed a first woman vice chancellor in Nigeria and that led to the government of Ibrahim Babaginda to sack him and the other two.

“That’s another Prof. Sagay. The same Prof. Sagay when he was asked to deliver a speech in Delta state after the creation of Delta state that the good people of Delta north where I represent, Sagay said the fact that we have a state capital we therefore have no right to aspire to the position of governorship of Delta State.

“I want to appeal, it is his trade mark, it is his trademark and like my friend said if they have done some screening about him there won’t have been any need to have appointed him. He doesn’t thrive where there is peace, his best is when there is confusion and trouble, and create problems everywhere and that is why I have created three scenarios.

“I want to appeal, let us not waste our time on professor Sagay, let us face important issues, national issues than to talk about Prof Sagay because he will continue. If a man at almost 80 years if not more than 80 is behaving like that, it is his trademark you cannot change him now.

“Let us just leave him, it is his trademark and those who appointed him if they decide to bring him he will continue to cause trouble, cause confusion and that is his trademark.”

Senate President, Bukola Saraki after listening to the contributions, referred the matter to the Ethics Committee to report back in four weeks.

Saraki said, “I think this matter will be referred to the committee on Ethics and Privileges and to report back in four weeks.”

By Ehisuan Odia….

 

 

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