President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on Social Media, Mrs. Lauretta Onochie, on Wednesday chided senators over their current rift with the Executive, saying they have turned themselves into blackmailers.
Also, a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has described National Assembly members as tragic-comedians who are paid over a N100bn yearly to mock Nigerians.
According to the PUNCH, Onochie said the federal lawmakers had turned themselves into what she called a self-serving trade union that work with blackmail.
She posted the information on her Facebook page as her reaction to the Executive and Legislative face off over Buhari’s refusal to implement some of the resolutions made by the Senate.
Onochie posted the message at a time the President set up a cabinet committee to work out how to end the rift.
She said there were a few clowns in the Senate who she said were being manipulated by awaiting-trial cabal.
She wrote, “At best, the Nigerian Senate has turned itself into a trade union of some sort. Not a patriotic trade union that cares and fights for the well being of the citizens, but a blackmailing self-serving trade union that work with blackmail!
“But there are many patriotic and people-oriented senators in that Chamber. Where are they? Why are they silent? Why are they succumbing to the bullying antics of a few clowns who are being manipulated by the head cabal? Yes, the cabal!
“What are the patriotic senators doing to let Nigerians know that they are not part of the unholy and demonic alliance of the awaiting-trial cabal?
“How can they sit pretty, and allow those who are either under criminal investigations or are awaiting trials to be the ones deciding the fate of Nigerians?”
The presidential aide said unless the good elements in the Senate begin to speak up and dissociate themselves from the cabal, Nigerians would think and believe they are all the same.
She argued that Buhari had the right to choose who should serve Nigerians, saying it is within his constitutional rights.
She said arm-twisting and blackmail would not succeed over patriotic considerations.
Onochie accused the senators of forgetting their principal role of lawmaking.
Onochie said because she was not afraid of being criticised, she would continue to voice her opinion on issues in the country that she finds detrimental to the well-being of all Nigerians.
“So, why is the Nigerian Senate acting like a bunch of errant schoolchildren in a playground?
“For not giving me a piece of your snacks, you can’t play with us. Bullying and intimidation! Many of us remember this from our primary school days. It’s back in our Senate!,” she said.
Ezekwesili, who described National Assembly members as tragic-comedians, urged the youths to stop being entertained by lawmakers’ folly and instead demand for social change.The former minister said this in a series of tweets while reacting to recent happenings in the Senate on Wednesday.
The Senate has recently been embroiled in several scandals, including an allegation that Senator Dino Melaye does not hold a first degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria as claimed.
After several twists to the scandal resulting in an investigation by the Senate and a N5bn suit against Sahara reporters, ABU’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, told the Senate Ethics Committee that Melaye graduated from the university with a Third Class in BA Geography.
Melaye had subsequently posted a comic video online in celebration. He also appeared at the Senate plenary dressed in an academic gown.
But, in several posts on her Twitter page, Ezekwesili, who is a co-founder of Transparency International, wondered why Nigerians felt “entertained” by happenings in the Senate.
While addressing youths on Twitter, she said, “Be laughing while tragi-comedians that cost more than N100bn every year carry on at the National Assembly. Better fight for your future.
“The 8th National Assembly has done nothing for citizens except pay themselves fat allowances, engage in scandals and produce comedies.”
