ADVICE TO BUHARI ON SARAKI AND OTHERS

“There are some individuals who are better kept on the inside pissing out, than on the outside pissing in.” Sam Rayburn, 1882-1961.

Sam Rayburn was probably the most powerful Speaker of the US House of Representatives. He was also regarded as a mentor to Lyndon Johnson, 1908-1973, who was Senator, Vice President and President of America. The story had been told about when Rayburn faced with some rebels in the House within his own political party and someone asked him why he did not use his enormous power to deal with them. Wise Sam made the statement above which has relevance for Nigerian politics today.

As everybody knows now, there is a total breakdown in relationships between President Buhari and the Senate President. The heads of the Executive and legislative branches are literally at war. On both sides, the combatants are in the trenches; political, as well as real, lives are at stake. On paper the balance of power is with the executive branch; but it might turn out to be a costly blunder for anybody to assume that it is overwhelming.

Unfolding events out of Buhari’s control are already reducing the power gap. The cases started including the forgery case will certainly not be concluded soon. They will wind their way to the Supreme Court after several trips to the Courts of Appeal and Buhari’s term might be over before we have heard the last words on these.

Meanwhile, there are three more budgets to be presented to the Senate, appointments to be approved, ambassadors to interrogate, inevitable economic recession to address – all of which need Senate support. To make matters worse the Minister of Justice who approved the prosecution of Saraki and Ekweremandu is already involved in conflict of interest controversy. Saraki on the outside is dangerous….