CCT BILL: TMG Teams Up Against The Senate

CHAIRMAN of Transition monitoring Group, TMG, Com. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, has joined notable voices condemning the obnoxious actions of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in its speedy interest in the amendment of the bills believably to shield the leadership of the chamber from accountability and probity which are the hallmark of democracy.   

Zikirullahi stated this in Abuja yesterday adding that the action of the Senate over the bill leaves much to be desired of the upper legislative chamber which should be leading by example particularly the suspicious speed adopted in passing the bill to a second reading.

“The mad rush to amend these two important pieces of legislation to protect the Senate President from the long arm of the law, amounts to a serious case of abuse of legislative powers.

“This latest manifestation of legislative rascality goes to show the level of desperation and the despicable extent to which these so called legislators are willing to descend in the discredited venture of helping their tainted leader escape justice.

“While it is true that the legislature is empowered by the 1999 Constitution as amended to make laws for the good governance of the nation, it is immoral and unacceptable to deploy legislative powers to further personal ends. As far as we are concerned, Saraki’s trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) is his personal business.

“It is therefore a vexatious affront on the sensibilities of the Nigerian people that the weight of the entire legislature would be brought to bear in this disturbing attempt at given him political rehabilitation.

“TMG frowns at this gangster approach to legislative business. While we commend the symbolic gesture of those legislators who have tried to distance themselves from this show of shame, we call on all members of the National Assembly, who still have any iota of credibility and good conscience to step up the pressure by teaming up with all pro-people forces, to end this charade.

“In the face of this desecration of the legislature as an institution by Saraki and his co-travellers, we call on the Nigerian people not to remain ambivalent. This is the time for the long suffering peoeople of Nigeria to raise their voices. They must condemn the continuous criminalisation of key institutions of the State by a set of conspirators.

“TMG calls on Nigerian students, market women, artisans, employed and unemployed youth to use this opportunity to send a clear message to Saraki and his minions that corruption and the personalisation of State institutions for the benefit of a morally deficient few, is no longer acceptable. This is a challenge and test case, to prove if the Nigerian people want the plunder of state resources, and the conversion of hallowed institutions for cover ups, to continue or not.

“The only way to prove that the people reject corruption, is to use all legal means, including protests, to stop Saraki and his band of legislative rascals. For us, we know that the latest antic of Saraki and his co-travellers is to distract the well-meaning Nigerians from the initial position that he should immediately step down and stop dragging the Senate in the mud.

“Despite his attempt to be clever by half, TMG alongside all other pro-democracy and anti-corruption activists hereby restate our position that he must step down or face the wrath of the people. The battle line has been drawn, and the people must brace up for the next phase of this struggle against entrenched forces of corruption in the legislature. Darkness will never triumph over light”, TMG boss said.