The Senate yesterday adjourned plenary and summoned the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris over the arrest of Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi).
The resolution followed a point of order by Senator Sam Anyanwu (PDP, Imo) on the arrest of Melaye, who has been having a running battle with the police over allegation of gun running.
The IGP is to appear before the Senate today by 11.am during plenary. Our correspondent reports that all items listed on the Senate’s order paper were stepped down following the resolution.
Anyanwu said: “When one person is humiliated, it is all of us. A senator of Federal Republic is being treated like a common criminal. We have lost our glory as a result of what happened yesterday.”
Also speaking, Adamu Aliero (APC, Kebbi) described yesterday as a very bad day for the Senate. “An attack on one is an attack on all of us. He was being taken to SARS where common criminals like armed robbers are.”
Ubali Shittu (APC, Jigawa) said it was a similar scenario that played out in 1984 that led to the end of the government. “This is not change we voted for. We did’nt vote for this government to be maltreated,” he said.
But Senator Abdullahi Adamu (APC, Nasarawa) cautioned his colleagues against what he called, confrontational outpour, saying it won’t help Melaye’s situation.
Senate President Bukola Saraki described the police action as a threat to democracy.
“Even me in the last 48 hours, I’ve not been able to reach the IGP. That’s not disrespect to me as an individual but this institution,” he said.
Senators visit Melaye at National Hospital.
At about 1.pm yesterday, Saraki led all senators in two buses to the National Hospital, where Melaye was hospitalized. They arrived the hospital at 1.31 and left at about 2.20pm.
After a brief meeting with the chairman of the board of the Hospital, Patricia Etteh, nine out of the senators were allowed into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
In an interview with newsmen, Saraki said Melaye was in a stable condition. He said Melaye was not in handcuffs.
