The Senate invasion that dominated the headlines last week, which also featured the capture of the Senate mace and led to the arrest of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, was allegedly aimed at Senate President Bukola Saraki.
According to the Nigerian Tribune, political enemies were worried about Saraki’s alleged presidential ambitions and worried that he could potentially stand against Buhari and were hopeful that a crisis within the Senate would see a new power arise within the hallowed halls.
This was not to be as Senators got wind of the proposed coup early enough to head it off. It was also why Senator Omo-Agege was not forcibly removed from the chamber even though he was suspended.
This viewpoint is not new as a coalition called the North-Central Stakeholders Forum for Good Governance, had earlier released a statement in which they accused enemies of Saraki of trying to make a fuss to destabilize the Senate President’s ambitions.
The statement read in part; “We the entire members of the above named group in the North-Central states of Nigeria hereby condemn in an unequivocal manner, the assault and discretion of the hallowed chambers of the Nigerian Senate by hired hoodlums, that resulted in the stealing of the mace, the symbol of authority of the Senate.
“We equally know that the dramatis personae in this despicable act did not act alone, as information available to us shows a complicity with senior government officials in the executive arm of government.
“All these infantile drama championed by a suspended Senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, was in the bid to discredit the Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the entire leadership of the Senate, so as to make the 8th Senate chaotic and ungovernable.”
The statement added: “We say without let or hindrance that this plot is all about Dr Saraki and is aimed to discredit his leadership of the Senate and, indeed, his chairmanship of the National Assembly by giving him à bad name and presenting him before the public with a bad odium.
“We are equally aware of how all anti-corruption agencies in the country have been schemed towards intimidating and harassing some selected senators of the 8th Senate, all in the bid to make them abandon the Senate President.
“Today, the anti-graft agencies have commenced threats of intimidation, threats of detention, and declaration of being wanted because of these senators’ unalloyed support and loyalty to Dr Saraki.
“It is common knowledge that Senator Aliyu Wamako, a former governor of Sokoto State and Senator Rabiu Kwankwanso, a former governor of Kano State, and another senator from the South-South are under threat by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), because of their support for Dr Saraki-led Senate.
“We are not unmindful of the humiliation meted against Dr Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, all in the bid to discredit, intimidate him and eventual isolate him and have his followers abandon and, consequently, leave him in the cold.
“We are, indeed, disturbed that all these are happening now as a prelude to the 2019 general elections. Then, what will 2019 look like? We are worried about what will happen during the election year itself .
“Sometime between 2013 and 2014, preceding the election year in 2015, the then ruling party PDP was accused of impunity, lawlessness, oppression and lack of respect for due process and the rule of law.”