Finally the Federal Government has taken a last minute decision over the forgery allegation against Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.
The Federal Government has dragged the Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu to an Abuja High Court judge on Tuesday, June 21, over forgery allegations.
As a result, the Abuja High Court Judge has ordered that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and two others be served court papers for immediate arraignment through substituted means.
Giving the order, Justice Halilu Yusuf in his order said the notice of summon for Saraki and three others be pasted on the notice board of the National Assembly complex.
Yusuf also fixed arraignment of the lawmakers for Monday, June 27.
Saraki, Ekweremadu, a former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and his then deputy, Benedict Efeturi, were on June 10, charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy and forgery of the Standing Rules used for the leadership election of the presiding officers of the Senate in June, 2015.
The Federal Government stated that the offence of conspiracy was punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Act; and offence of forgery with “fraudulent intent” punishable under Section 364 of the same law.
It was alleged that the 2011 version of the Senate Orders was secretly altered by some individuals to produce the 2015 edition.
It was alleged that Rules 3 (3) (e) and (k) in the 2015 edition of the orders were not amended in accordance with the provisions of Rule 110 (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) of the 2011 Orders.
While the 2011 Order Rule 3 (3) (e) provides for manual voting and open ballot in the election of the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President, the 2015 Orders allow electronic and secret ballot voting in the said elections.
Also, while Rule 3 (3) (k) of the 2011 Order makes it mandatory for all members to participate in the process of electing the Senate President and Deputy Senate President, the reverse is the case in the 2015 Orders.
The 2011 Orders, Rule 3 (3) (k) reads, “All Senators-elect shall participate in the nomination and voting for President and Deputy President of the Senate.”
But a similar provision in Rule 3 (3) (i) in the 2015 Orders reads, “All Senator-elect are entitled to participate in the voting for Senate President and Deputy Senate President.”
The allegation came through a petition to the inspector general of police calling for an investigation into the allegation of the forgery of the Senate rules by the secretary to the an Anti-Saraki Unity Forum, Suleiman Hunkuyi.
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