Hamman Misau, a Nigerian senator on Wednesday, July 13, 2016, criticised his colleagues for disclosing issues discussed at executive sessions to the press, particularly the matter of the impeachment proceedings against President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking on a point-of-order and citing Order 43 of the Senate’s 2015 Standing Rules, Senator Misau said that the upper chamber had the practice of not disclosing matters discussed at executive session to journalists, insisting that briefings during such “executive meetings are only meant for senators.”
The plot to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari began at the senate’s executive session on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, according to online reports.
Senator Misau, who is representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, said that publications in some national dailies, with headlines like Senate plots to impeach Buhari, Pro-Saraki senators threaten Buhari with impeachment,” credited some “false statements” to him.
“I am holding some copies of national dailies here with headlines “Senate plot impeachment of President Buhari. Why did some of our colleagues disclose issues discussed at close door?’’ Senator Misua said.
According to a Punch report, the lawmaker said that senators misguided the public on matters discussed at an executive session of the senate.
“Yesterday we were in an executive meeting and we want to inform Nigerians that executive meetings are only meant for senators. We don’t even allow our aides or the media to be part of the executive session.
“For this information to come out from the executive session, it is unfortunate that senators will go out after a session to mislead the public of something that was never discussed here.
“Unfortunately, some of the senators are here. There was no time when somebody threatened to impeach Buhari. I was not even given the privilege to talk in the session.
“Even, the chairman of committee on Foreign Affairs was not there and some people went out to mislead the public.
“Even SaharaReporters said me, Peter Nwoboshi, Danjuma Goje and Jibrin Barau, were supporting someone to insult another person,’’ he said.
Senator Misau advised lawmakers to be mature enough to hold confidential issues “close to their chests”.
Senate President Bukola Saraki, reacting to the matter of the press leak, said that the matter would not be subjected to debate, and referred it to the senate’s committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions.
