The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has said the police behaved like “upgraded barbarians” by taking Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) to Lokoja on a stretcher last week.
Dogara said this in an interview with State House reporters on Monday after he and Senate President Bukoka Saraki met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Speaker maintained that wheeling people to court does not portray a good image of the nation’s democracy.
Dogara, who confirmed that they raised Melaye’s issue with Buhari, said: “On the issue of Senator Dino, of course, anything that happens to one of our members or any member of the National Assembly is of concern to us. And there is no way we can have this kind of meeting without raising that.
“This is a civilian administration, it’s democracy and it’s imperative and very important that all institutions of democracy operate within the ambit of the rule of law.
“There is no where, I have said it before, that police will behave in a democracy like a clan of tribesmen, like an upgraded barbarians sort of. So, there is need for us to act with civility. We’re not saying that anybody should be protected and defended. Once you’ve committed an offence, our law said you should answer it, but you just have to utilize the provision of the constitution, the rule of law and this administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has over emphased it in order to bring people to book.
“But a situation where people are wheeled to court, that doesn’t give good image of our democracy. I’ve not seen a democracy where people are wheeled to court, they’re not in the proper frame of mind and they’re forced to undergo trial.
“Even if Dino is pretending as some have said in some sections of the media, he cannot pretend forever. He is there, he’lll not run away, he is a Senator and he can be tried any time he is in proper frame of mind. As a lawyer, I can tell you, any judge that assesses an accused person not to be in a proper frame of mind, even if the accused person pleads guilty, he is duty bound by law to record a plea of guilty if he is not satisfied as to the soundness of the mind of the accused person.
“So, the emphasis is there and I believe the president, being a listening president, will definitely take steps and do something about it.”
Asked if the threat of impeachment over the withdrawal of $496m for fighter jets’ purchase without legislative approval was raised with Buhari, Dogara said: “Well, I don’t think we have the authority to discuss issues of impeachment. Impeachment is a political offense and I don’t think we are there yet.
On whether the president raised it, the speaker said: “No, never. It wasn’t part of the agenda.”
Senate President Bukola Saraki said they also raised with Buhari, the non-appearance of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, before the Senate.
The Senate president said the president must ensure that the IGP obey the National Assembly as a constituted authority.
He stated: “We also raised the issue of the non-appearance of the IG at the Senate and felt that they must continue to ensure that he continues to apply obedience to the issue of constituted authority.
“We are of great concern that this is the first time this is happening and that that matter needs to be addressed considering the importance of the powers of the constitution that gives investigative powers, also gives to us and that there is need for police to accept that they too are under constitution and they must obey that. We raised that concern.”
Saraki described the meeting as peaceful, saying ‘I think it is good that we touch on some of the important issues. As I said, it is a continuous process.”
