The Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN has explained that the alleged Senate forgery case filed by the federal government against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, predated his appointment as AGF.
Saraki, Ekweremadu and two others are accused of forging the Senate Standing Rules 2015, with which their election into office as senate president and deputy senate president was carried out.
Appearing on Wednesday before the Senator David Umaru-led Senator Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Malami stated that while he was appointed AGF in November 2015, the case was filed in July.
His words, “I wish to state here that I am in support of democracy and I will do anything within the constitution to preserve the democratic processes.”
The AGF stated that the criminal suit with reference number FHC/ABJ/CS/646/ 2015 was filed on July, 23 2015 alongside a report of the concluded investigation by the police.
According to him, “I was appointed on the 12th day of November 2015, that is precisely about four months. As at the time I came to office, the report was concluded.
“The case was instituted before the court for the sustenance of the rule of law but not in any way to truncate the democratic process.”
Asserting that once a matter is in court, neither the executive nor the legislature can look into it, Malami said; “It will be overreaching on my part to make any insinuation on the case.”
At this point, the committee asked if the charges were filed for the sake of public interest and if they were in accordance with due process, Malami responded that the suit was filed based on public interest and justice.
He stated that the amendment of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 did not pass through the traditional procedure.
The AGF added that if the standing orders did not come through the right procedures, it becomes criminal, which is in breach of section 60 of the Nigerian constitution.
In his remarks, Chairman of the committee, Umaru said the executive was intruding on the business of the legislature, adding that the separation of the powers in a democracy should be respected.
Source:DailyPOST
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