The Senate on Tuesday expressed its anger on Senator Kabiru Marafa who granted an interview to the Punch Newspapers on 7th February, 2016 which majority of the lawmakers have considered as an affront on the integrity of the Senate.
Moving the motion under Petitions by Senator Isa Hamma Misau (APC) representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, he submitted that Senator Kabiru Marafa did grant an interview to the Punch Newspapers where he told lies and misled the public, a situation he said resulted to over 500 calls from his constituents who wanted to know the veracity of the interview.
“Mr Senate President, it will interest you to know that Senator Kabiru Marafa granted a media interview to Punch Newspapers and he told lies thereby misleading the public, besides, I got over 500 calls from my people who wanted to know what happened,” he said.
He urged the Senate not to allow the likes of Senator Marafa to disrupt the Senate for selfish reasons while also tasking his colleagues to rise to the occasion of treating the issue before it goes out of hand.
“Senate President, I want to task all of us to rise to the challenge of handling the issue before it goes off hand. We should not allow an individual to bring this distinguished Senate down. I suffered for 10 years contesting for Senate before I eventually succeeded in 2015,” Misau pointed out.
Corroborating the move, Senator Matthew Urhoghide maintained that he had suffered shame and his reputation as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was at stake owing to Senator Kabiru MARAFA’s interview which suggests that the 8th Senate had nothing to offer.
He stated he was inundated with calls from his constituents on the matter, but was unable to explain explicitly what transpired, a situation he said could affect his future chances of winning election despite the fact that it took him over 20 years to contest for Senatorial seat.
“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, I want to support what my friend has said concerning the issue which should be nipped in the bud. My phone has been inundated with calls and I don’t even know what to tell them. Besides, Misau said he struggled to get to the Senate in the last ten years, my own was in the last 20 years”, Urhoghide maintained.
Responding to the motion, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki referred the matter to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions and ordered that the report be reverted to the Committee of the whole in two weeks time.
“This is not new to the Senate on issues of this nature, and I therefore refer it to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions so that they can report back in two weeks time, the Senate President said.
It will be recalled that Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC) representing Zamfara Central has ceaselessly opposed Saraki-led Senate since inauguration.
He had ealier told DAILY POST succinctly that he would not recognize Saraki as Senate President and while reacting to his being made a Committee Chairman on National Identity and National Population, he stated that they remained Saraki’s private Committees.
“These Committees remain Saraki’s private Committees and I will not recognize them,” he said.
Meanwhile, a first time Senator on the platform of the All Progressives Congress who would not want his name mentioned told DAILY POST after Tuesday’s plenary that he had it on good authorities that Senator Kabiru Marafa and ten others might be suspended for 6 months if found wanting.