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, "Resignation 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.
"In 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."
Several chapters of the NLC and the TUC across the states also asked for Saraki's resignation on Saturday.
He said: "As 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 won't allow his official position to
influence the decision of the tribunal."
Also, the Ekiti State Chairman of the NLC, Mr. Raymond Adesanmi, advised Saraki to step down from office.
He said, "If 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."
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, "First 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.
"In honour of the institution he
represents, it is therefore best for him
to resign in order not to undermine the
position of the judge.
"If 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."