Members of the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, have asked the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, to resign from his position as the senate president pending the outcome of his case at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
They said that even though Saraki is still on trial and has not been found guilty of the allegations against him, it is morally right for him to resign his job.
President of the TUC, Mr. Bobboi Bala, in an interview with Sunday Punch on Saturday, said Saraki has a moral burden to resign.
He said, โResignation is a moral burden on people. But if somebody feels that he will carry his cross, go to the courts and try to exonerate himself, he should be given the opportunity. But it would be too bad if at the end of the day, he is found guilty. It does not speak well of public office holders.
โIn other countries, as soon as such things happen, people tender their letters of resignation. Obviously, it is a moral burden on him. We hope all politicians will begin to know that no matter how highly placed they are, one day, they will definitely have to account for their stewardship.โ
Several chapters of the NLC and the TUC across the states also asked for Sarakiโs resignation on Saturday.
He said: โAs it were, the Senate President is sitting on a delicate seat. If it were a civilised society, he would have stepped aside to allow for a fair trial, so that he wonโt allow his official position to influence the decision of the tribunal.โ
Also, the Ekiti State Chairman of the NLC, Mr. Raymond Adesanmi, advised Saraki to step down from office.
He said, โIf it were in other climes, he would have resigned. My advice for him would be to step down as the Senate President to answer the charges against him. If at the end of the day he is not found guilty, he could return to his position.โ
Second Republic Governor of old Kaduna State and Chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, Mr. Balarabe Musa, on Saturday, also urged Saraki to step down as Senate President as a show of respect for his office.
Musa said, โFirst of all, it depends on his conscience. If he knows that the allegations against him have anything bordering on genuineness and if he knows that he has not done anything above board, he should succumb to his conscience.
โIn honour of the institution he represents, it is therefore best for him to resign in order not to undermine the position of the judge.
โIf he knows that there are elements of truth in the allegations against him, he should not cost the government so much in court and thereby undermine the integrity of the bench; he should just resign. He is still young; he still has a lot of opportunities.โ
