NIGERIAN SENATORS IMPLICATED IN FORGERY CASE

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.

Source : Punch