Senate demands el-Rufai�s sack
� Lawmakers unimpressed by Obasanjo�s plea
� I�ll
go if President says so, says minister
By Chesa Chesa,
Don Basey and
Adetutu Folashade-Koyi
Correspondents, Abuja
Senators say they are
thoroughly fed up with their adversary, Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
Minister Nasir el-Rufai, and have threatened to put legislative activities on
ice if President Olusegun Obasanjo does not sack him.
An attempt by the President to
pacify them late Tuesday afternoon does not seem to wash.
�We have had enough. This is the
time to act�. Those words aptly summarised the mood of the Senate when the
lawmakers, stung by el-Rufai�s latest uncomplimentary remarks, set in motion
a process to relieve him of his choice job.
Despite Obasanjo�s intervention,
the lawmakers stuck to their resolve that el-Rufai should be fired or else
Aso Rock will feel the pinch.
However, the man in the eye of the
storm himself has again called the bluff of the legislators. El-Rufai pledged
to leave office if Obsanjo says so.
His Chief Press Secretary Kingsley
Agha said in a telephone interview on Tuesday that the Senate�s resolution
has got to the minister � and that he, like his colleagues in the Federal
Executive Council (FEC), was appointed by the President and would therefore
not hesitate to quit should Obasanjo so decides.
�We heard the news �. What
reaction are you asking for? You should go to the Senate or Mr. President for
a reaction. The minister would go if the President wants him to. The
President appointed him like his colleagues. So, why should he refuse to go
if the President says so�, Agha stated.
The senators were embarrassed and
provoked by his reference to them as �fools�. Responding to a Senate
indictment of him as Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE)
and for employing two special assistants � over which he was directed to
refund N20 million to government coffers � el-Rufai had said �silence is the
best answer for a fool�.
The shocked senators met and
resolved to deal with him. Spearheading the move is Senator David Brigidi,
who anchored a similar putsch that terminated the tenure of Senator Kassim
Oyofo as Senate Chief Whip.
He cited Senate rules 14, 15 and
18, which deal with the privileges of a senator and the entire Senate. He
described el-Rufai�s action as �consistent provocation� and moved that
Obasanjo be asked to remove him within 48 hours while the Senate suspends
plenary session until the President responds accordingly.
The motion was seconded by Senator
Nuhu Aliyu, who noted that �we can�t stand the minister�s arrogance any
longer�.
Senate President Adolphus Wabara
suggested that contacts be made to seek a retraction from the minister, but
Brigidi replied that the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), Audu Ogbeh, had already spoken with el-Rufai but there was no
expression of regret or apology from him.
Senator Abubakar Sodangi insisted
that the President must be asked to choose between the National Assembly and
el-Rufai, Senator Fidelis Okoro said the Upper House has had enough, as he
has �insulted the Senate and the whole nation. He has held the entire country
to ransom�.
Senator Idris Kuta said the Senate
had actually delayed in �bringing El-Rufai to book. During the screening
exercise, he swore with the Koran and lied under oath. Besides, we have a
report on the privatisation process under him, which we are yet to consider�.
When Wabara suggested that closing
down the Senate would amount to making the minister a great man, the plea
moved none of colleagues. Senator Kanti Bello was adamant that the Senate
should stop further work on any bill or request brought by Obasanjo.
Wabara was compelled to put the
question to vote and a thunderous �ayes� echoed through the chambers. There
was no single dissenting voice. Besides, it was agreed that the proceedings
of the day be immediately forwarded to the President for action.
At a reconvened plenary session of
the Upper House in the afternoon, Obasanjo, in a five-paragraph letter to
Senate President Adolphus Wabara, apologised on behalf of el-Rufai for �his
language in public� and urged the Senate to reconsider its stand.
But the President also cautioned
the senators on their resort to �alleged threat and blackmail�.
The letter reads: �On noticing the
alleged wrong deployment of language of the minister of (the) Federal Capital
Territory on a member or members of the federal legislature of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, I asked the minister to give me an explanation in
writing.
�I note with some concern the
minister�s explanation, which seemed to touch on an action and reaction
between a distinguished senator and the minister.
�But be that as it may, I have
cautioned the minister 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�.
�
See C1 for more on El-Rufai
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