The Senate on Sunday described the
forgery case initiated by the office of the
Attorney General of the Federation and
Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami,
against principal officers of the Senate as
a coup against the legislature.
It claimed the move was aimed at
subjecting the National Assembly to the
control of the executive.
The upper chamber also accused the
executive arm and some unnamed party
leaders of instituting the case to ensure
that Senate President Bukola Saraki and
his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, were
remanded in prison and prevented from
presiding over the affairs of the Senate.
The Senate, in a statement by the
Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and
Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi,
described the forgery case as
unconstitutional and a violation of the
principles of separation of powers, checks
and balances.
It, however, warned that the prosecution of
the principal officers, which it alleged was
aimed at forcing a leadership change in
the chamber, was capable of plunging the
country into anarchy and constitutional
crisis, urging President Muhammadu Buhari
to caution Malami.
The AGF office had commenced a forgery
and conspiracy case against Saraki,
Ekweremadu, the immediate past Clerk of
the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu
Maikasuwa, and the Clerk of the Senate,
Mr. Ben Efeturi, at an Abuja Federal High
Court.
But the Senate, on Sunday, said, “We are
compelled to alert the good people of
Nigeria and the international community,
that our democracy is in danger and that
the attempt by the executive arm of the
Federal Government to muzzle the
legislature and criminalise legislative
processes in order to cause leadership
change in the National Assembly is a
return to the era of impunity and lack of
respect for due process, which we all
fought to abolish.
“We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to
please caution his Attorney General and
Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami.
“It is clear that the Attorney General and
party leaders behind this action either lack
the understanding of the underlining
principles of constitutional democracy, the
concept of separation of powers, checks
and balances and parliamentary convention
or they just simply do not care if the
present democracy in the country survives
or collapses in their blinded determination
to get Saraki and Ekweremadu by all
means necessary, including abuse of office
and sacking the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The Senate believed other national
pressing issues should engage the
attention of all levels of government at this
critical time, saying the executive should
come up with bills to tackle the nation’s
challenges.
Read more at Punch ng
Comments