Renowned lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), says the 8th Senate is the worst in the history of Nigeria, adding that they will be kicked out come 2019.
According to reports, Sagay said this in a statement written in his personal capacity and not as the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption.
The senior advocate described the current constitution amendment as a hypocritical exercise which would lead nowhere.
Sagay added, “This Senate is by far the worst in Nigerian history. Nothing good has ever emanated from them. Their grab for executive powers, confrontation with the President and Vice-President, their love of self-serving legislation and total insensitivity to the common interest of Nigeria is sensational and unprecedented.
“The outcome of all this malevolence against Nigerians is that they will achieve nothing before they leave in 2019, and Nigerians will turn out in millions to clap them out of relevance.”
Punch reports that he specifically lambasted the Bukola Saraki-led Senate for refusing to devolve powers to the states, scrapping the State Electoral Commission and for refusing to ensure 35 per cent affirmative action for women.
Sagay, who is a former Dean of Law at the University of Benin, said the senators were only pursuing their self-interest at the expense of Nigerians.
The senior advocate said, “To summarise the attitude of Senate to constitutional reforms, their decisions on Wednesday 26th July 2017, demonstrate their contempt and disdain for federalism and women, and their inordinate self-love and self-indulgence, amounting to narcissism, at the expense of all other Nigerians.
“Their rejection of devolution of some powers to the states involving transfer of some items to the concurrent list, their scrapping of States Electoral Commissions, entrenching local governments as a tier of government in a supposed federation, clearly demonstrates their hostility to federalism and to the empowerment of the 36 states in order to make them more independent and effective.
“On the other hand, their inordinate self-love is demonstrated by their craving for immunity, participation in the Council of State and elimination of the President’s power to approve constitutional amendments.”
The professor of law said since the Senate had failed Nigerians, the only way to ensure far-reaching social change would be for a constituent assembly to be established.
Sagay added, “These proposed alterations of the constitution will fail because they are anti-people, vainglorious, selfish, negative and irresponsible.
“Ultimately, Nigerians will establish a constituent assembly, where genuine changes will be made to the basis of our mutual association in a manner consistent with our multi-ethnic nationality society.”
Efforts to get the Senate to react to Sagay failed on Friday.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi-Abdullahi, could not be reached for comments. He neither picked calls made to him or reply a text message sent him.
The National Assembly began its annual recess on Thursday.
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