The Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday urged Nigerians to submit petitions against all forms of injustice to the Senate, assuring them that their grievances would be investigated and addressed.
Saraki, speaking in a video interview published on the official twitter handle of the Senate, @NGRSenate, said the Eighth Senate was committed to addressing all petitions brought before it.
He added that it was necessary that Nigerians were aware that they could get justice through the parliament by submitting their petitions through the lawmakers representing them.
“We represent Nigerians, we are voted for that. The difference between democracy and military rule is the parliament. In my constituency, Kwara Central, if anybody feels there has been injustice against him anywhere in the system, it is me that he comes to and says you are representing me, fight for me, these are my issues,” Saraki said.
The Senate President, in the video, which was less than two minutes long, added that the Eighth Senate has already been at the forefront of addressing all forms of injustice against Nigerians with the finalisation of 70 petitions in the two years of its existence.
This number, Saraki noted, was more than the total number of petitions addressed by some of the preceding assemblies.
“Over the years, nobody attended to as many petitions but we have treated 70-something petitions in two years. I know a Senate that treated only five petitions. So there is an avenue now for Nigerians to go to if they feel there has been injustice,” he said.
He cited the example of a petition addressed by the Senate: “We had a gentleman who was unfairly relieved of his duties in one of the agencies. He then died, the widow was left in anguish for so many years,” he said, adding that the matter was eventually brought to the Senate’s attention through a petition.
The Senate heard the petition and directed the agency in question to pay the late man’s entitlements, including death benefits to his widow and the children, Saraki recalled.
“With this, the widow was able to start a business to support the family. That is what we are here for, those are the opportunities we create, Nigerians should know that there is somewhere they can run to so that they can get justice individually or collectively or as a community,” the Senate President added.