Saraki, Senate get 2 weeks ultimatum from Arewa group over alleged disobedience for the constitution
- The northern group said the Senate erred by refusing to swear-in Bassey Etim, a senator-elect from Akwa Ibom state, after a court order
- Albert Akpan, the senator currently representing Akwa-Ibom North East, was sent parking and asked to refund all entitlements to him
The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), a northern organisation, has slammed the Senate led by Bukola Saraki for refusing to honour a court order over a senator-elect.
The group thus issued the upper legislative chamber two weeks to obey the order reinstating senator-elect, Bassey Etim, or face the wrath of Nigerians.
A Federal High Court had ordered that Bassey Etim be sworn in as the representative of Akwa Ibom North-East, but many months later, the group said the order is yet to be obeyed.
The Saraki-led Senate is accused of playing hide-and-seek over the issue relating to Bassey Etim
"We are appalled by the glaring reluctance of Senate President Bukola Saraki to respect a Federal High Court order," the AYCF said through Yerima Shettima, its national president.
NAIJ.com can report that the northern organisation said it was unacceptable for the upper chamber of the National Assembly as an institution of public service and symbol of the rule of law, to employ delay tactics over the order of a competent court of jurisdiction.
READ ALSO: Disregard information about Buhari's death - Presidency tells Nigerians
"We have reason to suspect that by refusing to swear-in Senator-elect Bassey Etim for an unfathomable number of months is a ploy to thwart the court order and tamper with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
"We are cautioning the Senate leadership to avoid playing to the gallery by doing what is legally and constitutionally appropriate, which is the immediate swearing-in of the bona-fide owner of the Akwa-Ibom Northeast seat at the Senate.
"The next appropriate step is to direct Albert Akpan, the man removed by the competent court, and to ensure he returns all the salaries and associated benefits he got so far as ruled.
"We find the prolonged drama created around the swearing-in by the Senate leadership as a smear on decorum, contemptuous, a breach of the nation's constituion and a ridicule of the highest law-making arm of the Nigerian government," the group said.
Shettima noted that while the Senate continues to play hide-and-seek over the issue, the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) had since complied with the court ruling by issuing fresh certificate of return to Mr Etim Bassey.
PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 new app
"There is no justification whatsoever for Senator Bukola Saraki to delay action in doing the needful. We therefore task the upper chamber to be alive to its responsibility by respecting the verdict of a competent court of jurisdiction.
"No amount of delay or artificial tinkering would subvert the course of justice.
Yerima Shettima said the Senate had something to hide over its alleged disobedience of a court order
"It is our fervent hope that this would be the last time the Senate will ridicule our courts of law and our constitution for political convenience.
"In this era of change, the Senate and indeed its leadership should set a good example for a democratic system in which the judicial arm plays pivotal role in governance.
"Consequently, we are hereby giving the Senate two weeks ultimatum to swear-in Mr Etim Bassey as Senator representing Akwa-Ibom Northeast senatorial zone with immediate effect.
"If the Senate fails to do the needful, based on our ultimatum, we will not hesitate to mobilize Nigerians to occupy the National Assembly and jointly reject this impunity," the AYCF warned.
NAIJ.com had earlier reported that Senator Bassey Akpan who is representing Akwa Ibom North-East senatorial district was sacked by a Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom on Monday, February 27.
The court asked Akpan to vacate the Senate and that Bassey Etim was the authentic senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The court insisted that Akpan contested for the PDP governorship ticket in state in 2015 and not for the senatorship and therefore does not deserve to be in the National Assembly.
Watch this video and find what Nigerians think of the Senate: