“Absolutely not! I don’t think the IGP has constituted himself as enemy of our democracy. It is the conduct of the senate that constitutes danger to democracy because of the way they frequently abandon their constitutional responsibilities and move en masse to engage in solidarity visits to their individual members who are undergoing trial in hospitals or other places. That is an indication of abandonment of democracy”.
Prof. Itse Sagay, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) on Wednesday reportedly slammed the Senate, saying through their actions the Senators are the ones constituting themselves as dangers to Nigeria’s democracy and not the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
The Senate has declared the IGP as an enemy of democracy, saying he is unfit to hold a public office.
Senate President Bukola Saraki announced this on Wednesday during plenary at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
But speaking in media interview, Sagay said the IGP cannot be said to shun the senate as he sent a representative who is a DIG but was rejected by the Senate.
He said by abandoning their legislative duties to visit their colleagues who are facing trial, the National Assembly has proven they are the real enemy of democracy.
“Absolutely not! I don’t think the IGP has constituted himself as enemy of our democracy”.
“It is the conduct of the senate that constitutes danger to democracy because of the way they frequently abandon their constitutional responsibilities and move en masse to engage in solidarity visits to their individual members who are undergoing trial in hospitals or other places. That is an indication of abandonment of democracy”.
“They have regularly abused their rights under this democracy and have demonstrated that they are not sufficiently mature to operate in liberal democracy. That is what I have seen”.
Some respondents, who reacted to Sagay’s statement in chats with The DEFENDER, have applauded the President’s lead anti-corruption fight aide saying it was high time the Senate had the likes of him to “checkmate their excesses” as, according to one of them, “the Senators are really getting to our nerves for struggling powers with the Executive. Or what is the meaning of their incessant summons on President and his IGP over a Dino Melaye that they should be ashamed to identify with at this moment that he is undergoing trial over criminal cases”.
