Forgery trial: Battle over plot to suspend anti-Saraki senators

INTRIGUES continued at Senate, on Tuesday, as the Like Minds Senators, the group of senators who worked for the emergence of Dr Bukola Saraki as Senate President, met on Monday to plot the suspension of senators who wrote the petition that led to the trial of Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that the pro-Saraki senators resolved to push for the suspension of Senators Kabiru Marafa and Suleiman Hunkuyi, who were allegedly believed to be behind the petition.

The Senate president was said to have submitted at the executive session that he was taken to court when the Senate was on recess.

Inside sources said immediately after Saraki’s explanation, Melaye got up to demand that those behind the petition should stand up and disown the petition or risk suspension.

Melaye was said to have insisted that Marafa and Hunkuyi should be suspended if they failed to disown the petition and apologise to the Senate.

Senator Melaye was said to have expressed anger over the trial of Saraki and Ekweremadu for alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rules 2011.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu was later said to have chided the members for giving Melaye the floor at every closed session to threaten other senators.

She reminded her colleagues that they all represented their respective senatorial districts, adding that no one should threaten the other.

At this point, Melaye allegedly upbraided Senator Tinubu.

Senator Barnabas Gemade was said to have referred the Senate to the Senator James Manager’s peace and reconciliation committee, which recommended certain steps to achieve peace in the chamber.

Meanwhile, it was also gathered that Like Mind Senators threatened that the upper chamber should initiate impeachment proceedings against President Muhammadu Buhari.