- A review group has called for the ban of the Senate President Bukola Saraki and nine other senators from entering the United States of America
- The group accused the Senate leadership of abusing the rule of law and rights of democratic representation in the Eighth Assembly
- The group said it is worried that the Saraki is violating the law by discriminating against Senator-elect Bassey Etim despite the subsisting court for his election
A United Nation Universal Periodic Review (UPR) group has called for the ban of the Senate President Bukola Saraki and nine other senators from entering the United States of America over abuse of rule of law and rights of democratic representation in the Senate.
The UPR in a letter written to the Congressional Black Caucus, of the United States of America Congress said the Nigerian Senates's disregard for rule of law is appalling.
The letter signed by the chairman board of trustees of the UPR Ifot Nathaniel said the Senate and its leadership is currently operating a double standard and abuse of rule of law which is capable of truncating the country's democracy.
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Reacting to the failure of the Senate to swear in a Senator-elect for the Akwa-Ibom North-East Senatorial District Bassey Etim, the group said it was worried that the Senate President who took oath of allegiance to uphold the Constitution on Nigerian and do justice to all manner of persons will violate the law by discriminating against Etim despite the subsisting court order.
UPR said such a development pose a dangerous precedence which, if not checked, may result to grave human rights abuse in Nigeria.
The group's letter said: "Sir, four months after the court directed that Bassey Etim should be Sworn in as a Senator of the Federal republic of Nigeria, the leadership of the Senate ignored the court order, but rather continue to allow the sacked senator to participate in the activities of the senate as a Senator.
"This act of impunity and cabal is un-becoming of the highest law making body of Nigeria. If left unchecked and without any sanction on the leadership of the Senate, it may create a dangerous precedent that will not only derail Nigeria's democracy but will also create untold abuse of human dignity in Nigeria.
Accordingly, we call for a severe sanction of the senate leadership including banning of the leadership the Nigerian senate from entering the United States of America in order to serve as deterrent to others."
They said the senate has refused to obey court order, alleging conflict of interest in the senate.
"It has since been discovered that there is a conflict of interest. The Senate President has strong ties with the ousted senator particularly, as the lawyer to the ousted senator is also a lawyer to the senate president who was standing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal over false asset declaration.
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The sacked senator has been boasting that the. Senate. President cannot remove him because of his immense contribution to his emergence as the Senate president, court judgement against him notwithstanding," UPR said.
NAIJ.com earlier reported that a Federal High Court sitting in Akwa Ibom state had set aside the election that brought in Senator Bassey Akpan to represent Akwa-Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
The court also declared Etim as the authentic Senator representing the district.
However, since the court's ruling on February 17, 2017, the Senate is yet to swear in Etim as the Senator to represent Akwa-Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
You can watch this NAIJ.com video of Nigerians suggesting the scrapping of the Senate:
