BREAKING: Senate probes AGF over alleged forgery (photos)
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has finally appeared before the Nigerian Senate committee on judiciary, human rights and legal matters, over alleged forgery case of Senate standing rules instituted against its members.
Senate president Bukola Saraki had yesterday, July 12, warned that Senate will not hesitate to issue a bench warrant within one week if the AGF fails to respond to their invitation.
However, the AGF honoured the Senate invitation and was quizzed by distinguished senators in the committee on judiciary, human rights and legal matter
Present at the meeting were Ita Enang, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly matters, Senator James Manager representing Delta South senatorial district, Babajide Omoworare representing Osun east senatorial district and David Umaru, the committee on judiciary, human rights and legal matters among others.
According to David Umaru, chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, the summon is predicated on a motion passed by Senate on the Alleged Forgery of Standing Rules.
Senator Umaru states that the Senate Motion on Alleged Forgery has stated that there was no forgery of Standing Rules.
He said: “The purpose of the meeting is to hear the side of the AGF on the ‘Alleged Forgery’ issue.”
Reacting on why he instituted the forgery case against Senate president Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu, Malami said that he received a letter from the Senate titled “Eminent Threat to Nigerian Democracy.”
He continued: “As an occupant of my office, I work for the sustenance of Nigeria’s democracy. The issue brought before me is a criminal case against certain members of the Senate.
“The issue is an act that pre-dates my appointment in office and the first case on the forgery was a Federal High Court case initiated by distinguished senators.
“A suit had been filed before Federal High Court before my appointment as AGF, and the police conducted its investigation on July 2015 before I was appointed in November 2015. I have a duty to initiate cases sent to his office for the sustenance of the rule of law.”
But in a swift reaction, Senator Umaru showed his displease on how the AGF exercises his powers.
“Did the AGF take into account public interest before instituting a forgery case?” he querried.
The AGF however reacted saying, “A Standing Rule that has not been deliberated and voted on by the Senate, cannot be the Standing Rule.
“Based on non-adherence to the Constitution in amending the Standing Rules, my office filed the case. Criminal Case was filed on Forgery Case to curb abuse of institutional governing documents.”
The probe is still on-going as at the time of filing this report.
More to follow…
See more photos below:
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