* •I was not properly invited -Marafa •Tension as committee submits report today SPOKESMAN of the Senate Unity Forum (SUF), Senator Kabiru Marafa, shunned a sitting of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, on Monday, thus facing a possible suspension from the Senate from today. The Senate committee, headed by Senator Sam Anyanwu, concluded its investigation into whether or not Marafa breached the privileges of senators through an interview he granted in the media, in which he asked the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, to resign. Senator Anyanwu told newsmen that his committee had concluded its investigations and would submit its report today. But Senator Marafa said that he was not properly invited, adding that he would appear before the committee anytime he was properly invited. In spite of that, the committee insisted that it would submit its report today, based on submissions further made against Marafa by Senator Mathew Urhoghide, who served as the chief petitioner in the absence of Senator Isa Misau, who raised the petition against the Zamfara senator. If found guilty of a breach of the privileges of the senators, Senator Marafa could be suspended from the chamber for as long as the senators wished. The Senate had, last week Tuesday, upon submissions made by Senators Haman Isa Misau and Mathew Urhogide, mandated its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition to investigate Marafa on alleged despicable remarks he made against the Senate in the interview and report back to it today. Urhoghide, who appeared before the committee on Monday, said Marafa acted in clandestine manner with the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in portraying the National Assembly in bad light on allegation of corruption by saying whatever Obasanjo said in his letter to the National Assembly early this month was right. According to him, “after going through the interview, the first thing that was very clear was that my own colleague was acting in tandem with the former president on spurious allegation of corruption against the National Assembly and in particular, the Senate as far as the issue of N4.7 billion car purchase project is concerned. “He had actually acted in that manner with the former president by saying that ‘I think whatever Chief Obasanjo is saying is right and i support him’. I think there are two meanings to this. I think ‘whatever’ Chief Obasanjo is saying meaning that the National Assembly is corrupt and it stinks. “Therefore, I believe my colleague should be called to come and explain how the National Assembly and the Senate stink, how we are greedy and how we are corrupt. since I come to this Senate, all the exercise that I have taken part in, no one has called my integrity to question. “Marafa has, no doubt, joined the former president in bringing the Senate and, by extension, the National Assembly to public disrepute and should be accordingly made to take responsibility for his action.” Immediately after that, Senator Anyanwu, chairman of the committee, said it was now time for Marafa to come and defend himself, but he could not be found, as Anyanwu asked the clerk, Freedom Osolo, whether Marafa was around or not, but he said no. Osolo explained to the committee members, which had only two APC senators in attendance, Senators Binta Garba Marshi and Mohammed Shittu Ubale, that he had telephone conversion with Marafa on Monday morning on the need for his appearance, but shunned him by declaring to him that he had no evidence of proper invitation for him. However, Marafa himself, when asked by newsmen on why he was absent at the sitting, said he would attend the hearing of the committee any time he was properly invited. He said the committee had no reason whatsoever to recommend his suspension, as he would never accede to that in any way. According to him, the committee wrote him on Tuesday last week to which he gave a reply that was in Kaduna with one of his friends, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, who lost his mother, adding that he received a text message with an unknown number to him. Though Marafa said he was ready to appear any time he was invited properly, Anyanwu declared that report on the investigation would be submitted to the Senate at its plenary session today.]]>