‘Senators Received US$1m Bribe Each To Remove Saraki, Ekweremadu’

.Saraki, Ekwermadu

The senator representing Kwara South in the National Assembly has alleged that his colleagues were given the sum of $1million dollars each to impeach Senator each to impeach Senate President Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.

The Senator, Rafiu Ibrahim made this allegation on Tuesday in an interview with National Assembly correspondents on Tuesday, adding that those involved in the deal were under the aegis of Parliamentary Support Group

His allegations could however be independently verified as none of the leading members of the Parliamentary Support Group for Muhammadu Buhari could be reached for comments.

However, the allegation is being reinforced by insinuations in many quarters.

He said these on the sidelights of the release of a joint statement by the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, describing the invasion of the National Assembly by security officials as a “coup against democracy.”

They noted that the heavy presence of armed security men who unnecessarily militarized the legislative complex and harassed legislators and the workers in the complex could not be justified in a democracy.

The statement reads, “By 6.30 am, the reports started coming in and by 7am, there were pictures and videos online showing armed security men preventing senators and honourable members from coming into the complex.

“Some of our colleagues then mobilised other members in both chambers from their respective abodes so that they could pressurise the security men from allowing them to gain entry.

“Obviously, the public outcry from Nigerians and members of the international community against this illegality, this desecration of the sanctity of the legislature and this flagrant abuse of powers forced the government to relax the directives given to the security men as they later allowed the legislators to walk from the main gate into the foyer.

It added, “Still the lawmakers were not allowed to drive in, in their vehicles and were denied access into the main building housing their offices.

“It is not clear what the plan of the government is but information reaching us indicated that some senators who are pro-executive arm are being camped somewhere here in Abuja and they are being compelled to sign an impeachment notice that would later be brought to the Assembly complex.”

The two presiding officers appealed to Nigerians and members of the international community to view the development as “a coup against democracy.”