Nigerian Senators Vow To Protect Saraki As Tribunal Adjourns Trial To Oct. 21

A group of Nigerian Senators, who are loyal to Senate President, Bukola Saraki have vowed to protect him.

Saraki’s loyalists in the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP met at the weekend to strategise on how to protect him and the Senate from the onslaught of a “cabal” in the party; Sun Newspaper reports.

The meeting, which was presided over by a member of the Senate leadership, saw angry Senators point accusing fingers in the direction of “some cabals in the APC with no regard for due process.

A senator who spoke anonymously said, ”We met on Saturday and at the meeting, we discovered that the legal war against Saraki was not done with respect for the rule of law. There was no due process in the charges leveled against him at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

”We decided that everything must be done to deal decisively with the cabal. I had cause to explain to them that President Buhari had no hand in the war against the Senate President. They wanted to embarrass the Senate but we will let them know that we will sink or swim with Saraki…He will be our president, even in jail. There will be no leadership change; if that is what they are expecting”.

”Initially, some of the PDP Senators said they should respond by convening an emergency session where a motion would be sponsored by a member from the opposition to alert Nigerians to the fact that the charges against Saraki was a witch hunt. But, wise counsel prevailed because some thought the move could boomerang on the Senate.

Meanwhile, the Code of Conduct Tribunal has adjourned till October 21 the trial of the Senate President Bukola Saraki.

The Senate President had earlier pleaded not guilty to all charges read to him at the Code of Conduct Trial.

Counsel to the Senate President, Joseph Daudu, however expressed dissatisfaction with the decision of the tribunal.

Daudu said the time is too short considering the gravity of the allegation.

Saraki, who is facing a 13-count charge bordering on corruption and false assets declaration arrived at the Code of Conduct Trial in company of his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and other senators.