Senate5The new G77 which had its maiden meeting on Thursday night meanwhile launched moves to extricate the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC from the control of the presidency in the light of claims by the senators that it had become a tool of the administration.
The G77 comprising mostly of new senators it was gathered, also up in
arms against older senators who they claim have monopolised the juicy
committees of the Senate to the detriment of the newer ones.The maiden meeting
of the G77 was hosted by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio who
incidentally was not at home at the beginning of the meeting. The meeting
monitored by Saturday Vanguard commenced shortly after 7.00 p.m. on Thursday
and ended just before midnight following which some senators also broke up into
groups. 36 senators were physically present at the meeting which inside sources
disclosed has a membership roll of 77, almost all of them new senators.
Remarkably, the group is also
putting forward itself as a bulwark for the embattled Senate President, Senator
Bukola Saraki with members vowing to defend him against what they alleged as
the persecution of the executive branch of government. The formation of the new
group came barely 24 hours after senators resolved in a closed session on
Wednesday to put aside all acrimonies and project the institution as one. In
that light the senators it was learnt resolved to withdraw all cases against
the election of Saraki as the Senate President. It was also resolved that as a
sop to critics that the Senate would withdraw the amendment bill to the Code of
Conduct Tribunal Act. However, that agreement ran into trouble at the G77
meeting on Thursday as senators in the group resolved to push forward an
amendment bill to the law establishing the EFCC to among other things remove
the president’s right as appointing power and transfer same to the National
Judicial Council, NJC.
Besides, the amendment aims to
ensure that the minimum qualification for the office of executive chairman of
the EFCC would be a Deputy Director General of Police, DIG. A senator from the
former Bendel State is to present the amendment bill which would be expected to
be fast tracked. The senators at the Thursday meeting particularly lamented
what they claimed as the way and manner the EFCC was being used to hound what
they claimed as perceived opponents of the administration. The case of former
governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa and his son was given as a
particular instance at the meeting as it was claimed that the EFCC rushed to
file charges without investigation. As part of the amendment the EFCC would be
compelled to finish investigations before filing charges against anyone, a
source at the meeting disclosed.
Noting the determination of the new
senators to get their own entitlements in the chamber, a senator who attended
the meeting told Saturday Vanguard that the group would frustrate what they
described as the over ambitious nature of the older senators who are anointing
themselves as those that will take over from the embattled Senate President,
Senator Saraki. The source also disclosed that the G77 came into existence to
frustrate any gang up against Senator Saraki’s leadership of the Senate. Among
those sighted at the meeting were Senators Samuel Anyanwu, PDP, Imo East;
Clifford Ordia, PDP, Edo Central; Matthew Urhoghide, PDP, Edo South; Ben Murray
Bruce, PDP, Bayelsa East; Dino Melaye, APC, Kogi West; Biodun Olujimi, PDP,
Ekiti South; Isa Misau, APC, Bauchi Central, among others including Akpabio who
came into the meeting not too long before it ended.
STRONG indications
emerged early yesterday of a hardening of position by senators who have
coalesced into a Group of 77 drawn from various parties and camps to
protect what they have dubbed as the integrity of the Senate.Senate5The
new G77 which had its maiden meeting on Thursday night has
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/twist-senate-peace-moves-senators-form-g77/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/twist-senate-peace-moves-senators-form-g77/
STRONG indications
emerged early yesterday of a hardening of position by senators who have
coalesced into a Group of 77 drawn from various parties and camps to
protect what they have dubbed as the integrity of the Senate.Senate5The
new G77 which had its maiden meeting on Thursday night has
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/twist-senate-peace-moves-senators-form-g77/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/twist-senate-peace-moves-senators-form-g77/
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