The strategic plan by the Senator Bukola Saraki-led Senate leadership to curb dissent came to light, yesterday, after he proclaimed a 12-member Ethics and Privileges Committee, which will among others enforce discipline among senators.
The committee which is peopled entirely by supporters of Senator Saraki has as its chairman, Senator Samuel Anyanwu (PDP, Imo East). Senator Anyanwu was the chief mover of the Senate motion on a vote of confidence in the Saraki- Ike Ekweremadu leadership that was backed by 80 other senators.
The nine other members of the committee were all signatories to the vote of confidence motion unanimously adopted by the Senate on Tuesday.
Members are Senators Dino Melaye, APC, Kogi West; Binta Garba, APC, Adamawa North; Peter Nwaboshi, PDP, Delta North; Jeremiah Useni, PDP, Plateau South; Babajide Omoworare, APC, Osun East; Bala Ibn Na Allah, APC, Kebbi South; Tayo Alasoadura, APC, Ondo Central; Muhammad Ubali Shittu, APC, Jigawa North-East; and Olaka Johnson Nwogu, PDP, Rivers South-East.
The plan to quickly constitute the ethics and privileges committee was part of the agreement adopted by supporters of the Senate leadership at a strategic meeting late on Monday night during which the signatures for the confidence vote was also mobilised.
Vanguard gathered that the plan of the Saraki-Ekweremadu group was to constitute the committee on Tuesday but for the strategic impediment that the body of principal officers had not been completed on account of the failure of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to field its principal officers.
Following the submission of the list of the PDP principal officers on Tuesday and the first formal meeting of the Senate principal officers, it was resolved to establish the committee yesterday.
“Anyone that makes noise from henceforth would be sent to the committee,” a ranking senator privy to the workings of the Senator Saraki leadership told Vanguard.
