ABUJA— ON a day it was to pass the bill restricting strike action by workers, the Senate yesterday, embarked on a 48-hour strike to compel the dismissal of Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, from office on account of invectives against them (senators).
President Olusegun Obasanjo in a swift response to the Senate resolution issued an apology on behalf of the minister but stoked tempers with his own warning to them (senators) to desist from the path of threats and blackmail. Also yesterday, an attempt by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to influence the reinstatement of the former Chief Whip, Senator Kassim Isa Oyofo, apparently failed as a caucus meeting of PDP Senators summoned by PDP chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh, on the matter ended in a deadlock. Chief Ogbeh said further meeting would continue later in the week. The early morning PDP caucus meeting with Chief Ogbeh, according to sources, discussed ill-feelings by senators over recent public remarks by Mallam el-Rufai, the most recent of which were made at a press conference last Thursday.
Responding to the report of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts which indicted him for alleged financial misdemeanour, Mallam el-Rufai retorted that “silence is the best answer to a fool,” and that he was not accountable to the Senate.
The remarks came on top of earlier accusations made against senators, including a network television comment about “an axis of evil in the Senate” and allegations of bribery made against two principal officers of the Senate. The anger of the senators was further fired by reports that the minister was unrepentant when approached by Chief Ogbeh last weekend to recant his most recent invective against the Senate.
At the Senate session that followed the PDP caucus meeting, the order of the day including consideration of the report on the amendment bill to the Trade Union Act, was overtaken by the ill-feelings against Mallam el-Rufai. Among those who went to witness the Senate action on the Labour Bill but who went away with temporary relief were Nigeria Labour Congress President, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, and civil rights activist, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti.
Following prayers and announcements, Senator David Brigidi (PDP, Bayelsa) took the floor to complain about the violations of his privileges by the utterances of the minister. He said the consistent attacks by the minister against the Senate tended to portray the chamber, which is working for the good governance of the country, in bad light.
He thus moved that:
lThe Senate do request the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to relieve Mallam Nasir el-Rufai of his position as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria within 48 hours.
lThe Senate do reconvene in a plenary session at the expiration of 48 hours to consider the response or reaction of Mr. President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Senate resolution.
The motion was seconded by Senator Nuhu Aliyu (PDP, Niger) and supported by several senators including Abubakar Sodangi (PDP, Nasarawa), Idris Kuta (PDP, Niger) Kanti Bello (ANPP, Katsina North), Muktar Aruwa, (ANPP, Kaduna), Patrick Osakwe (PDP, Delta) and Farouk Bello (ANPP, Kebbi). Senator Kuta, noting the spate of demolitions of churches and mosques in Abuja by the minister, urged the Senate to suspend all issues and focus on demolishing the minister.
"It is not the Senate that el-Rufai has taken to task, but a man that loves demolishing places of worship, churches and mosques must be under a curse. We seem to be demolishing labour, let us demolish el-Rufai first,” Senator Kuta charged.
Following equally charged submissions from senators and appeals for restraint from Senate President, Chief Adolphus Wabara, the Senate unanimously endorsed the resolution as it called on the president to sack the minister within 48 hours. To back the resolution which entailed the Senate suspending plenary sessions for 48 hours, the Senate halted sitting for two hours to enable it endorse the votes of proceedings which would be forwarded to the president.
Obasanjo apologises
However, as the Senate reconvened to ratify the votes of proceedings, Senator Wabara read out a letter of apology from the president. The letter addressed to the Senate President and dated August 31, 2004 with reference number PRES/134 reads:
"On noticing the alleged wrong deployment of language of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory on a member or members of the Senate of the Federal Republic, I asked the Honourable Minister to give me an explanation in writing. I note with some concern the minister’s explanation which seemed to touch on action and reaction between a Distinguished Senator and the Honourable Minister.
“But be that as it may, I have cautioned the minster on the use of language in public about any member of the federal legislature no matter how seemingly provoked.
“Everything should be done to maintain the very cordial and amicable relationship now existing between the executive and the legislature.
“Therefore, if any offence has been caused, I apologise on behalf of the minister and I hope that words amounting to alleged threat or blackmail will cease to emanate from Distinguished and Honourable Members of the National Assembly.
“Please accept, Mr. Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration —OLUSEGUN OBASANJO.
As the Senate president read out the president’s letter, senators gesticulated with indifference to the president’s supplications but turned red when they heard the caution from the president to them to stop further threats and blackmail. Attempts by Senator Wabara to plead for reasoning from the lawmakers went unheeded as the senators continued their loud agitations for an immediate endorsement of the votes and proceedings.
Senator Arthur Nzeribe further restrained Wabara as he drew upon the rules of the Senate to assert that resolutions once taken by the Senate could not be reversed except through a properly laid motion. Following this, Senator Wabara called for a vote on the proceedings of the morning session which was immediately given.
Deputy Senate leader, Senator Jonathan Zwingina, who was once accused by Mallam el-Rufai of demanding bribes from him, responding to the Senate resolution said the minister’s utterances were unbecoming of a public officer. In his comment, Senator James Manager (PDP, Delta) said the latest insult from Mallam el-Rufai was one too many as he said the issue must be resolved before the Senate continued with its plenary sessions.
