ABUJA—In an apperent setback for Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, the forgery case against them surreptitiously withdrawn last week, is to be filed afresh by the Federal Government.
This came on the day the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Caucus in the House of Representatives commended the Federal Government for the withdrawal of the charges of forgery and criminal conspiracy against both personalities and two others.
However, according to findings by Vanguard, the government will charge the two Senate leaders individually as opposed to the previous one where they were jointly docked.
A top Justice Ministry official told Vanguard last night that the case was primarily withdrawn because the Police were yet to conclude their investigation.
In fact, as the source pointed out, the NPF is yet to interrogate Saraki and Ekweremadu and other officials of the National Assembly alleged to have masterminded the forgery of the Senate Rules used in conducting the inauguration of the 8th NASS.
“You can see that under the Criminal Justice Act, the statement of the accused persons and all the witnesses are expected to be filed and it would have been wrong to have pressed ahead with the case when the police are yet to conclude their investigations.
“The Federal Government considered it appropriate to withdraw the case and conclude the investigation and attach both the statements by the accused and the witnesses before filing fresh charges against the suspects.
“We want to strengthen our position and present a solid case against the suspects as required under the Criminal Justice Administration Act,” the official told Vanguard. However when contacted, the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, confirmed that a fresh charge would only be pressed against the suspects when the government was ready and declined to say when.
“I will get back to you on the matter when we are ready,” Malami said. The fresh determination by the government to file charges against the Senate gladiators, appears to have cut short the celebration of the initial abrogation of the charges filed against them.
The withdrawal of the charges had elicited nationwide commentary, fuelling speculations that the Presidency, fingered as the arrowhead of the case, had opted to make peace with the NASS leadership, which it fell out with as a result of their emergence last year. Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, APC National Leader, Asiwaju Tinubu and other Nigerian leaders promptly lauded the move once it was announced. But the optimism of the leaders appears to have been shortlived, with the new plan to slam the senators with fresh charges.
Meanwhile, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said yesterday he had forgiven those he claimed falsely linked him to the alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rules which saw him being arraigned in court. Ekweremadu, who asked those in positions of authority to adhere to their oaths of office to be just to all, insisted that he had forgiven those behind his arraignment for a crime he never contemplated.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Caucus in the House of Representatives has commended the Federal Government for the withdrawal of the charges of forgery and criminal conspiracy against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, the deputy Ike Ekweremadu. The PDP Rep caucus in a statement signed by its leader and Minority leader of the House of Representatives, Leo Ogor, said with the withdrawal of the forgery case against the two presiding officers of the Senate, they could now direct their total energies at the economic hardship facing the nation.
Read more at: Vanguard News
This came on the day the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Caucus in the House of Representatives commended the Federal Government for the withdrawal of the charges of forgery and criminal conspiracy against both personalities and two others.
However, according to findings by Vanguard, the government will charge the two Senate leaders individually as opposed to the previous one where they were jointly docked.
A top Justice Ministry official told Vanguard last night that the case was primarily withdrawn because the Police were yet to conclude their investigation.
In fact, as the source pointed out, the NPF is yet to interrogate Saraki and Ekweremadu and other officials of the National Assembly alleged to have masterminded the forgery of the Senate Rules used in conducting the inauguration of the 8th NASS.
“You can see that under the Criminal Justice Act, the statement of the accused persons and all the witnesses are expected to be filed and it would have been wrong to have pressed ahead with the case when the police are yet to conclude their investigations.
“The Federal Government considered it appropriate to withdraw the case and conclude the investigation and attach both the statements by the accused and the witnesses before filing fresh charges against the suspects.
“We want to strengthen our position and present a solid case against the suspects as required under the Criminal Justice Administration Act,” the official told Vanguard. However when contacted, the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, confirmed that a fresh charge would only be pressed against the suspects when the government was ready and declined to say when.
“I will get back to you on the matter when we are ready,” Malami said. The fresh determination by the government to file charges against the Senate gladiators, appears to have cut short the celebration of the initial abrogation of the charges filed against them.
The withdrawal of the charges had elicited nationwide commentary, fuelling speculations that the Presidency, fingered as the arrowhead of the case, had opted to make peace with the NASS leadership, which it fell out with as a result of their emergence last year. Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, APC National Leader, Asiwaju Tinubu and other Nigerian leaders promptly lauded the move once it was announced. But the optimism of the leaders appears to have been shortlived, with the new plan to slam the senators with fresh charges.
I’ve forgiven my traducers—Ekweremadu
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Caucus in the House of Representatives has commended the Federal Government for the withdrawal of the charges of forgery and criminal conspiracy against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, the deputy Ike Ekweremadu. The PDP Rep caucus in a statement signed by its leader and Minority leader of the House of Representatives, Leo Ogor, said with the withdrawal of the forgery case against the two presiding officers of the Senate, they could now direct their total energies at the economic hardship facing the nation.
Read more at: Vanguard News
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