The Senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Sen. Hamman Misau, on Wednesday criticised his colleagues for disclosing issues discussed at executive sessions to newsmen.
Speaking on a point-of-order and citing Order 43 of the Senate’s 2015 Standing Rules, he said that the upper chamber had the practice of not disclosing matters discussed at executive session to journalists.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that plots to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari began at the senate’s executive session on Tuesday.
Misau said that publications in some national dailies, with headlines like “Senate plots to impeach Buhari’’, “Pro-Saraki senators threaten Buhari with impeachment’’, credited some false statements to him.
“I am holding some copies of national dailies here with headlines “Senate plot impeachment of President Buhari’’. Why did some of our colleagues disclose issues discussed at close door?,’’ he said.
He expressed displeasure over the issue, saying that senators misled the public on matters discussed at an executive session.
“Yesterday we were in an executive meeting and we want to inform Nigerians that executive meetings are only meant for senators.
“We don’t even allow our aides or the media to be part of the executive session.
“For this information to come out from the executive session, it is unfortunate that senators will go out after a session to mislead the public of something that was never discussed here.
“Unfortunately, some of the senators are here. There was no time when somebody threatened to impeach Buhari. I was not even given the privilege to talk in the session.
“Even, the chairman of Committee on Foreign Affairs was not there and some people went out to mislead the public.
“Even Sahara reporters said me, Peter Nwoboshi, Danjuma Goje and Jibrin Barau, were supporting someone to insult another person,’’ he said.
Misau advised lawmakers to be mature enough to hold confidential issues close to their chests.
In his remark, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that the matter would not be subjected to debate, and referred it Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions. (NAN)