For telling the media Sen. President Bukola Saraki is blackmailing President Muhammadu Buhari, and that the 8th Senate is corrupt, Sen. Kabiru Marafa was summoned Monday to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions. But he didn’t show up.
Senators Isah Misau (APC-Bauchi Central) and Matthew Urhoghide (PDP-Edo South) had petitioned the committee, accusing Marafa of making comments that demeaned the reputation of the National Assembly, its regulations, standing committees, budget vote, and others.
“So he should be called to explain how corrupt the senate is. The committee should ask him why he colluded with Obasanjo to bring the reputation of the senate down,’’ Urhoghide said.
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Marafa has been on the neck of Saraki over what a caucus of the APC members in the Senate described as manipulation of the Senate Standing Rule to emerge president —against the party’s choice, Ahmed Lawan.
The petitioners, however, urged the Senate to invoke its Standing Rule by punishing Mr. Marafa to serve as deterrent and forestall recurrence of similar statements from other lawmakers.
The Chairman of the Committee, Samuel Anyanwu, said the committee would deliberate on the issue and report to the senate on Tuesday for appropriate action to be taken.
But the committee said it got a letter from Marafa’s aide, stating the senator was out of town for some reason.
“The letter further indicated that the senator would be back at the weekend and would be ready for hearing any time this week,” said committee chair Sen. Samuel Anyanwu.