Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami’s ultimatum to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Federation and the police to proffer charges against suspects, who allegedly forged the Senate Standing Orders used for the proclamation of the current 8th Senate is the source of fresh crisis at the National Assembly, writes Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan
A fresh storm is brewing in the Senate following a two-week ultimatum from the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of the Federation and the police to proffer charges against suspects, who allegedly forged the Senate Standing Orders used for the proclamation of the current 8th Senate.
The Nation learnt the development may have once again divided the upper chamber along party and group lines as fears heighten over the possible inclusion of the name of Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and other ranking senators, on the list of those to be prosecuted for the alleged forgery.
Unconfirmed sources in the Ministry of Justice stated it is likely that the suspects would soon be charged in a competent court of law with criminal conspiracy, forgery, breach of official trust and unlawful assembly stated to have contravened various provisions of Penal Code.
“It is not a rumour. It is the truth that, acting within the provisions of the law, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), has instructed the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), to without further delay; commence the prosecution of those who allegedly forged the Senate Standing Orders used for the proclamation of the current Senate.
Consequently, in a matter of days or weeks, the suspects would be dragged to court. It is a very straight forward case and it is expected that the police have thoroughly investigated the matter and made recommendations to the appropriate quarters. The next stage is prosecution of those culpable and that is what has been advised by the AGF,” our source stated.
Investigation by The Nation revealed that the development is already generating tension among senators as the two groups of senators supporting the current senate leadership and those opposed to it may be set to resume hostilities on the floor of the hallowed chamber, as well as outside.
“The situation, as we speak, is that of anxiety. Nobody has openly spoken about the directive of the AGF but I can tell you that the Senate Unity Forum and the Like Minds Senators, the two groups into which senators have been divided since the beginning of the 8th Assembly, are once again ready for a showdown.
Don’t forget Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and former Senate President David Mark, two leading members of the Like Minds, and unrepentant supporters of Senate President Bukola Saraki, are part of those questioned by the police in connection with the alleged forgery.
Anxious Senators
“It is being feared they may be amongst those to be charged to court soon. Many PDP senators and some APC senators within the ‘LikeMinds’ group are already alleging witch hunting and vowing to resist any effort to “further embarrass the senate by dragging its leaders to court on flimsy charges.
“But members of the Senate Unity Forum, largely made up of senators opposed to the senate leadership or Saraki and Ekweremadu, are in support of the prosecution and also ready to stop any move to stall it. This scenario indicates the coming of another crisis in the National Assembly,” our source stated.
The Nation learnt a meeting of LikeMinds senators held in Abuja on Wednesday discussed the development and concluded that the move should be challenged legally as soon as possible. It is expected that some members of the group may soon approach the court for stay of action on the matter.
“We don’t need anybody to tell us that we are the target of this new move by the AGF, who is a member of the ruling party. We are all witnesses of the charade they call the trial of Bukola Saraki. We understand them well and we know this is meant to be another plot to decimate the opposition.
“But we are ready to fight for democracy and fairness. We have decided to continue to challenge this impunity. We are ready to keep fighting until APC leaves our people alone. The senate cannot afford to be a toy in the hands of the ruling party. Nigerians should expect more crises in the National Assembly,” a LikeMind Senator from Ekiti State told The Nation.
But in a telephone chat with our correspondent, another Senator from Ogun State stated the thinking of those kicking against the AGF’s directive is unpatriotic. As stated by him, it is unimaginable that people elected to make laws for the country will be encouraging impunity.
“We are talking about forgery and some people are planning to move against the trial of suspects. It is unimaginable that people elected to make laws for the country will be encouraging impunity. But if they intend to whip up public sympathy by accusing the ruling party wrongly, we would be waiting for them,” he stated.
Genesis
It would be recalled that the police had investigated the alleged forgery of the Senate Orders following a petition by Senator Sulaiman Hunkuyi of the All Progressives Congress from Kaduna State. The petition had alleged that some parts of the 2015 Senate Order were different from the one ratified by the 6th Senate and was used by the 7th Senate as Standing Orders 2011. Hunkuyi’s petition to the police over the alleged forgery reads in part:
“We write to bring to your attention, the existence of the fraudulent introduction of a 2015 Senate Standing Rules, as amended. We wish to attach the original and authentic Standing Order for 2011 that was used by the Seventh Senate, (Annexure A). We again annex hereto a purported amended Standing Orders 2015, which was used by the Clerk to the National Assembly (along with the Clerk of the Senate) in inaugurating the 8th Senate on June 9, 2015, Annexure B.
“The so-called new Standing Orders purports to allow for secret, instead of the open ballot system that has been prevalent in all senate elections as permitted by the extant rules. These infractions, among others, arise from the fraudulent production of the Rules without an approved consideration by the Seventh Senate.
“At no time was the Standing Orders of the Senate amended during the entire life of the Seventh Senate, neither has the Eighth Senate sat for long enough to produce the rules now being circulated and in use. We, therefore, appeal that you use your good offices to investigate and bring to justice all persons who may have been responsible for this fraud, which has led to the undue political crises and abnormalities in the politics.
“While you carry out your job in sanitising the system, please, be assured of our esteemed regards.”
The police had swiftly waded into the matter which generated immense controversy and led to several rancorous sessions on the floor of the senate while it lasted. On July 6, 2015, the police invited and questioned some members of the 7th and the 8th Senate as well as some management employees of the Senate.
Chief amongst those quizzed in connection with the matter is the outgoing Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa. Also questioned by the police was the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who was quizzed in his office for hours, by a team of police officers, led by a Commissioner of Police.
Others who were also invited by the police back then included former Senate President, David Mark, former Senate Leader in the Seventh Senate, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Benedict Efeturi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Business and Rules in the Seventh Senate, Senator Ita Eg and secretary of the committee.
Their invitation for questioning over the alleged forgery of senate documents was contained in a letter addressed to Maikasuwa, entitled: “Letter of Invitation: Re: Forgeries/Fraudulent use of Senate Standing Order/Rules 2015 (as amended) by the 8th Senate.”
The letter was dated July 1and signed by Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Abuja, DIG Dan’ Azumi J. Doma.
More confusion
The Nation also learnt that the recent disagreement between the Senate leadership and the National Assembly Service Commission over the appointment of an Acting Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), may also pitch the senators against one another in the coming weeks.
The commission, statutorily charged with the appointment and management of the staff of the National Assembly, had appointed Muhammed Sani-Omolori in acting capacity, to replace the outgoing Clerk, Salisu Maikasuwa, who proceeds on terminal leave on May 14.
But the appointment drew the ire of the political leadership under Saraki, which insisted the approval of the Senate President is needed before the appointment can be concluded. Consequently, the commission’s Chairman, Adamu Fika, and Saraki have been on a subtle warpath ever since.
While the commission insists that the appointment of Sani-Omolori as Acting CNA remains valid, the leadership of the Senate continues to say it will neither recognise, nor work with Sanni-Omolori in the capacity of Clerk of the National Assembly as his appointment remains null and void.
The Nation learnt that while Senators in Saraki’s camp are with the Senate President on his stand on the matter, the majority of Senate Unity Forum Senators are opposed to the leadership’s rejection of Sanni-Omolori’s appointment and have stated so in clear terms, giving rise to allegations that the ruling party may have a hand in the matter.
“Now we understand why they wanted to force a CNA on us. We now know better why the person who should ordinarily be the next Clerk was bypassed for their crony to be appointed. You can see their plan. They intend to use the alleged forgery matter to further decimate the opposition.
“With this criminal conspiracy they want to tag a trial, Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Benedict Efeturi, who should be the next Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) will be disadvantaged in the struggle for that position because he is most likely to be one of those who will be prosecuted.
“Don’t forget he is one of those questioned by the police. Apart from that, some of our colleagues have been accusing him of being culpable in the alleged forgery. Now, they want to use that as a conspiracy to edge him out of the race for the seat of CNA,” our source added.
It remains to be seen how the matter will be resolved ultimately.
.....The Nation