The Senate has summoned the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to explain the basis for the forgery charges pressed against the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.
The resolution to summon Malami followed a motion by Senator Dino Melaye who said on Tuesday that “there is impending threat to democracy” and that the executive arm of government plans to enthrone “one man rule”. According to him, the AGF should be summoned to come and “explain and justify his action with evidence and why it does constitute gross abuse of his office”.
Six senators spoke in “total support” of the motion, saying “it is time to defend democracy”. The Federal Government had accused Saraki and Ekweremadu of forging the Senate Rules used in electing Saraki as Senate President in June 2015. Saraki was elected against the wish of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, which preferred Senator Ahmed Lawan as Senate President.
The senators insisted on Tuesday that the Standing Rules used for the elections of their presiding officers were not forged. Speaking after the motion had passed, Ekweremadu said, “those who are using their office to persecute others should remember no condition is permanent”.
