Arrest Order: Saraki Flees Residence As Senators Hold Emergency Meeting

Anxiety loomed yesterday following the relocation of the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, from his personal residence in Maitama District in Abuja.

He was said to have moved to the official Guest House of the Office of the President of the Senate for “security reasons.”

It was learnt that the invasion of the Guest House by the police to arrest Saraki might be considered an assault on the Senate.

However, the Nigerian Police Force claimed they were still awaiting the warrant of arrest from the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

Information gathered revealed that Saraki has moved out of his personal residence to an official apartment for “strategic reasons and safety.”

A source said: “The President of the Senate has relocated from his personal house in Abuja. Saraki is now staying in the official Guest House of the President of the Senate which is like a sacred place like the hallowed chamber of the Senate.

“If the police and security agencies invade or storm the place, it will amount to a slap on the upper chamber. This can make the Senate to join issues with the Executive despite the fact that there is no immunity for any National Assembly leaders.

“He has also been consulting with his strategists on how to vacate the Bench warrant against him by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.”

When contacted, an aide to the Senate President, however, said: “He actually moved to the Guest House since Monday because of the ongoing renovation in his personal residence due to a recent fire incident.”

Meanwhile, no fewer than 50 senators have on Saturday met in Abuja concerning the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT’s) invitation to Senate President Bukola Saraki for trial over alleged improper declaration of assets between 2003 and 2011.

It was gathered that the senators who attended the emergency meeting held in a private office near the popular Next Supermarket, cut across party lines – the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties represented in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.

The meeting, which started at 11.00am ended at 3.00pm with some senators who were not in the country participating through telephone.

It was further learnt that some senators who were on holidays in the US, UK and those who are performing the on-going Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia participated in the meeting through telephone.

The meeting, which was chaired by the Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, pledged to support the anti-graft war of President Buhari, but accused ‘a cabal’ in The Presidency of instigating the government institutions against Senate President Saraki.

According to findings, Senator Saraki was not part of the meeting, but participants resolved to use all necessary channels to correct the anomaly.