Dogara Calls For Caution In Saraki’s Trial, Laud Reps For Staying Neutral

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has called for caution over the ongoing trial of the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki for alleged false declaration of assets.

In his welcome address on Tuesday, the speaker commended Senator Saraki for submitting himself to the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

Both Saraki and Dogara were not their party – All Progressives Congress – candidates for the positions they are presently occupying. While the speaker of the House was able to resolve his differences with the party after a prolonged battle, the Senate president and the party are still at daggers drawn with many Nigerians speculating the latter’s ongoing trial is a political witch-hunt for flouting the orders of his party.

Dogara, in his message to the members of the House following resumption from a six week summer recess, also commended members of the Green chamber for “avoiding further escalation through media commentaries”, pointing out that “The barometer of the polity has been on the rise of late because of certain developments concerning the arraignment of the President of the Senate”.

“While commending the President of the Senate for submitting himself to the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal in the recognition that no person is above the law, I wish to caution that there is need for great circumspection in times such as this in order to maintain proper focus in pursuit of the common good”, Dogara added.

The speaker also noted that report of the House ad hoc Committee for Code of Conduct for members, which has been submitted, will be considered, to set higher standards. “…in the performance of our onerous task of over-sighting the other arms of government, we must at all times remind ourselves that we are equally being over-sighted by the people whose mandate we hold and indeed ultimately by God”.

“We will therefore do well to adopt the righteous doctrine of leadership by example, only then shall we be able to face accountability with confidence”, Dogara said.