There were strong indications that Senate President Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, and two other senior National Assembly officials would appear before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday over alleged criminal conspiracy and forgery of the Senate Standing Rules, 2015.
The Federal Government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, had filed charges against the two Senate leaders, as well as the former Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, and his deputy, Mr. Benedict Efeturi.
The case, marked CR/219/16, had been assigned to Justice Yusuf Haliru of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the four accused persons were expected to be arraigned.
In an affidavit attached to the case file and filed on June 10, 2016, the police investigating officer stated that investigations into the allegations had been concluded.
The two-count charge read:
“That you, Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, Benedict Efeturi, Dr. Olubukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, on or about, the 9th of June, 2015, at the National Assembly complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, conspired amongst yourselves to forge the Senate Standing Order, 2011 (as amended) and you thereby committed the offence of conspiracy, punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Law.”
The second count alleged that the four accused persons, on the same date and at the same location, “with fraudulent intent, forged the Senate Standing Order 2011 (as amended), causing it to be believed as the genuine Standing Order, 2015.”
According to the charge, the document was allegedly circulated for use during the inauguration of the 8th Senate of the National Assembly, despite claims that it had not been amended in accordance with the required procedure.
The alleged offence was said to be punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Law.
It would be recalled that some lawmakers under the aegis of the Senate Unity Forum (SUF) had petitioned the police, alleging that the Senate Standing Rules 2015 used during the emergence of Saraki as Senate President and Ekweremadu as his deputy were forged.
Following the petition, the police invited former Senate President David Mark and Ekweremadu for questioning.
They were initially summoned in July 2015 by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department to answer questions concerning their alleged roles in the controversy surrounding the Senate rules.
Also invited by the police were former Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba and Senator Ita Enang, who served as Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business in the Seventh Senate.
Source: Daily Post Nigeria
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