The relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government has come to a head following the decision of the federal government to file forgery charges against the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, and other lawmakers.

Also facing criminal prosecution for other corruption acts are the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje, and a former Plateau State Governor, Senator Joshua Dariye.

According to a report by The Punch, members of the National Assembly are set to ensure that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s intended war on corruption is frustrated as much as possible.

A vast majority of the anti-Buhari lawmakers are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some of their colleagues in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Senators have planned to delay and frustrate the approval of appointments made by the President, including the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, whose appointment is yet to be confirmed by the Senate.

An APC Senator, who is sympathetic to the Senate President, told the newspaper, that, “As part of the measures to reveal to Nigerians that there is corruption in the executive too, we will be strict in screening appointees and in our oversight functions.”

Another Senator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “When the Presidency and some of these party leaders discovered that they could not remove Saraki and Ekweremadu on the floor of the chamber, they are now trying to carry out their agenda using the court.”

“Their intention is to ensure that both Saraki and Ekweremadu are arraigned in court on Monday (next week) and make sure that they are remanded in prison afterwards so that we would be forced to change our leadership.”

Mazi Emeka