There are emerging symptoms that President Muhammadu Buhari may be intimidating the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Right Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, to hypothetically weaken the legislature; as well as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, tentatively to weaken the judiciary, and perhaps, enthrone the transcendence of the executive or the presidency in the government of Nigeria.
There are reports that the Federal Government has commenced investigations into bank accounts of the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and other principal officers of the National Assembly.
A report by News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) indicated that the investigation is conducted by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), adding that the NFIU is extending the investigation into the accounts of some judges in Nigeria, including CJN Tanko Muhammad.
It was gathered that a letter dated September 10, 2019, signed by NFIU Associate Director, Analysis and Compliance, Fehintola Salisu, indicated that Chief Compliance Officers of banks had been directed to disclose the account details of all legislators and judiciary officials in the country. However, the directive excluded ministers, advisers to the President, and principal officers in the presidency as well as heads of agencies and departments.
The Financial Intelligence Unit was, however, said to have further requested the banks to provide account names, numbers and transaction details of the top civil servants.
The letter with reference: NFIU/ACCFT/ACCOBANKS/VOL.I/877/PO5IA29 reads: “Request for information on: All accounts of: the National Assembly, National Judicial Council (NJC), all the members of the National Assembly, principal officers (management) of the National Assembly Service Commission, (and) of principal officers of the judiciary.