Saraki: Code of Conduct Tribunal In Fresh Move Against Senators, Reps

 

•Bureau scrutinises records of ex-govs,others •Northern lawmakers under pressure

.It emerged on Friday that despite the perceived rapprochement between the Presidency and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, a move aimed at splitting Saraki’s support base in the Senate and the House of Representatives has been flagged off.

Investigations by Saturday Tribune showed that the Code of Conduct Bureau, which keeps the records of public officers, has commenced the vetting of the records submitted by senators and members of the House of Representatives.

Investigations revealed further that the Bureau is concentrating on new Senators and Rep members
while the files of former governors in the Senate is also being examined.

It was gathered that the leadership of the Bureau had set aside the forms submitted by Senators and members of the House of Representatives following the hype over their investigation by the CCB.

It was learnt that aside from keeping the files away from the prying eyes of the public, the Bureau has also commenced detailed scrutiny of the files to determine those that would be referred to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

An alarm was raised last week, following the commencement of the trial of Saraki at the CCT but the Bureau, through its spokesperson, Iyabo Akinwale, insisted on Monday that the CCB was not specially investigating anyone.

When contacted, Akinwale said, “I am not aware of anything like that.”

Investigations, however, revealed that the files of former governors in the Senate have come under scrutiny, while that if newly elected senators and Rep members are also being examined.

A source said that the experience of the CCB has confirmed that newly elected persons into office have the tendency of making faulty and anticipatory declarations.

The source said that the powers of the CCB have been renewed through the Criminal Administration law which was passed under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The source said that the Bureau is already planning to operate under the auspices of the CCT Act and the Criminal Administration Act to ensure it barks and bite at the same time.

“The Bureau will not overlook infractions to the law just because some persons are making a noise in the media. A number of newly elected senators and former governors already have their files separated for further action. It is being vowed that some of those who are seen as making anticipatory declarations are not to be treated as having made mistakes,” the source said.

When asked why the focus is on members of the National Assembly, the source insisted that the Bureau should start from somewhere, adding that its officials believe they can now operate better with the Criminal Justice Administration Act.

Sources in Abuja also told Saturday Tribune that lawmakers from the North who are backing Saraki have come under intense pressure from the people who are already seeing them as working against the interests President Buhari.

Family members of some of the lawmakers are said to have started forwarding messages of threat to their lives to the lawmakers, who believe however that the Buhari-Saraki saga would end soon.