ABUJA— ASSERTING its determination to uphold its role as a paragon of virtue to all Nigerians, the Senate yesterday suspended Senator Isa Mohammed (PDP, Niger) for two weeks for slapping Senator Iyabo Anisulowo last Thursday. The Senate decision was arrived at a closed door session where Senator Mohammed profusely apologised for his behaviour.At a press conference which the Senate mandated him to address, Senator Mohammed also apologised to Senator Anisulowo, her family, all women and all Nigerians offended by his action.
At the press conference, he accepted his emotional frailty, ascribing his conduct in part to the devil.At a separate forum yesterday, speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari, condemned Senator Mohammed for slapping Senator Anisulowo.
In a dramatic show of reconciliation before the commencement of sitting, Senator Mohammed had walked up to the dais where Senator Anisulowo was discussing with Senator Ibrahim Mantu, Deputy Senate President, and given her a hearty embrace.He followed up the show of reconciliation by pumping hands with almost all Senators before the commencement of sittings.
As the Senate commenced deliberations, Senator Clement Awoyelu, deputy majority whip, moved a motion vide order 14 seeking to, among others, condemn the action of Senator Mohammed and for a referral of the matter to the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges for further investigation. The motion was seconded by Senator Emma Anosike (PDP, Anambra).
Senator Timothy Adudu (ANPP, Plateau) immediately sought an amendment seeking to expunge the condemnation on the grounds that Mohammed should not be condemned while the Committee on Ethics was at the same time investigating the matter.
Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw (PDP, Cross River), in his amendment to the motion proposed that the matter be immediately resolved in a closed-door session of the Senate because of the seriousness of the issue. His argument was supported by some members such as Senators Farouk Bello (ANPP, Kebbi), Ifeanyi Ararume (PDP, Imo), Daisy Danjuma (PDP, Edo South) and Nuhu Aliyu (PDP, Niger). Senator Bob Ekarika (PDP, Akwa Ibom) was the only one that spoke against consideration of the matter as he said that both Senators might have reconciled with one another with their hearty hug that morning.
Following a voice vote, the Senate resolved to go into a closed door session where the matter was debated. Senator Mohammed was said to have offered his profuse apologies for his action, regretting the negative impression his action might have cast on the Senate.
Vanguard gathered that majority of the Senators who spoke at the session, while accepting his apology, sought some form of punitive sanction to drive home the Senate’s abhorrence. “A murderer does not apologise and allowed to go free,” one Senator was quoted to have said. A handful of Senators, however, asked that the matter be taken to court, a development majority of the Senators opposed on the grounds that it would further damage the image of the Senate.
Following majority opinion that punitive sanction be given to Senator Mohammed, Senators were divided between giving the Senator a suspension of between one week and four weeks.Senator Mantu who presided at the sitting was said to have used his powers to bridge the differences between one and four weeks and arrived at a two-week suspension which was agreed to by the Senate.
Following the Senate resolution, Senator Mohammed addressed a joint press conference with Senator Tawar Wada, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Information.
Senator Mohammed said: “In the life of every human being, one is bound to see some trials and temptations and what really happened last week was very unfortunate and because everybody in this Senate is either a brother or sister to me, I know the feelings of many Nigerians, especially the women and I, Isa Mohammed, hereby in the name of Almighty God apologise to every citizen of Nigeria, especially our mothers, that I should be forgiven and God will bless Nigeria and continue to bless Nigeria, bless our leaders, bless our President, bless the people and God Almighty will continue to be with us.”I have to thank my distinguished Senator Iyabo Anisulowo, like I told you earlier, we are brothers and sisters, but the devil can always find his way. I am very, very sorry for what really happened.”I also apologise to her family, her state government and to everybody and to the entire country,” Senator Mohammed said.
Announcing the decision of the Senate, Senator Wada said: “The Senate actually as a body that is expected to be a paragon of virtue for this country regrets this action and really shows its displeasure. The Senate, therefore, in consideration of the circumstances of all that took place, the gravity of the offence, the unreserved apology from Senator Isa Mohammed and the remorse showed by him, as well as the concern shown by the entire state of Niger State for the unity of this country, the Senate decided to accept the apology of Isa Mohammed and also asked Senator Anisulowo whether she accepts that apology, which she did as a living Christian.
"On the whole, the Senate, therefore, considered that it can mete a punishment which has been mitigated against the distinguished colleague. The Senate, therefore, passed a resolution suspending Senator Isa Mohammed for two weeks and I believe that is going to act as a deterrent to all other Senators and in fact all citizens of this country.”
Senator Mohammed becomes the first Senator to be suspended by his colleagues in the present Senate and the third Senator to be suspended since the return to democratic rule in 1999.Senators Femi Okurunmu (AD, Ogun), Joseph Kennedy Waku (PDP, Benue) and Arthur Nzeribe (PDP, Imo) were at separate times suspended in the first Senate of the Fourth Republic.
The Senate decision on suspension, Vanguard gathered, also followed argument that it was the only way to avoid a possible court action against Senator Mohammed, an action several Senators felt would continue to denigrate the Senate.Some Senators, responding to the development, told Vanguard yesterday that the action was the best option for Senator Mohammed.
Masari condemns action
However, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari, yesterday condemned the action of Senator Isa Mohammed who slapped his colleague last week, saying the action was “unbecoming of a Senator and unacceptable.”
Receiving a delegation of the Caucus of Nigerian Women Legislators in his office, Alhaji. Masari said he would personally take up the issue with the leadership of the Senate to ensure that sanctions were imposed on the Senator.
According to the Speaker, Senator Isa Mohammed’s action was a “serious indictment of the National Assembly and there must be sanction. It is unbecoming of a Senator to slap his colleague even in the chambers of the National Assembly not to talk of outside the chambers in the full glare of the public.”
Earlier in her remarks, the Leader of the Caucus of Nigerian Women Legislators, Hon. Saudatu Sani calledon Senator Isa Mohammed to “tender an explicit, unreserved and public apology to Senator Anishilowoimmediately.”
The caucus noted that as an elected legislator, Senator Mohammed should represent a strong moral force and decent conduct, a man who should demonstrate probity, a calm demeanour and rationality even in the face of diversity or differing views and a man who has been gifted with a precious public trust. The women argued that in view of the development of the last few days, the women of this country could no longer continue to tolerate “endless debate and delays in addressing the critical issue of violence against women. And so, on behalf of Nigerian women everywhere, we say this cannot be condoned and this kind of violence in the assembly and everywhere must be censured and sanctioned.”
The women called for the immediate adoption of the Code of Conduct for members of the National Assembly to guide their conduct both within and outside the chambers.
