Ekweremadu: Controversy trails alleged forgery case

A former Special Adviser to President Shehu Shagari, Tanko Yakasai, yesterday lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the invitation of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, by police over allegations of forgery.

Ekweremadu was invited by the police on the allegation of illegally altering Senate Standing Rules used in electing Bukola Saraki as president of the Senate.

Yakasai said the police invitation came at the prompting of the president and the APC, and warned that it portends danger for Nigerian democracy.

Yakasai stated that what the APC and President Buhari were doing with regards to the emergence of the deputy Senate president was an act of desperation that will not auger well with the nation’s democracy.

He accused Buhari and APC leaders of lacking the basic knowledge of the norms and rules of legislative chambers.

“I think the problem here is that neither Buhari nor Oyegun or any serious member of the APC are truly aware of the basic knowledge of the National Assembly, they should use this chance to have some knowhow of the settings and rules therein,” he said.

Yakassai said although the election of principal officers of the National Assembly is done by a simple majority, their removal requires the participation of all members.

He, therefore, said removing Ekweremadu now would be a dangerous scenario that would not even work.

The opposition PDP had raised an alarm over the invitation. The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said that some key leaders of the PDP had been under threat since the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly which did not go the way of the APC, particularly, the election of PDP’s Ekweremadu as deputy Senate president.

The leadership of the PDP, he added, has been made aware of various threats to life and other forms of intimidation and blackmail against Ekweremadu from the APC.

The PDP declared that the Federal Government and APC leaders should be held responsible should any harm come upon the deputy Senate president or any of its party leaders.

However, the APC, in a swift response, said it had nothing to do with the invitation. It, however, said the police reserve the right to investigate serious allegations against anybody, no matter how highly placed.

On its part, the Nigerian police said following the receipt of a petition from a senator, a letter was subsequently sent to the clerk of the National Assembly to facilitate a meeting of some principal officers of the Senate and the clerk with the police investigating team headed by a Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force CID.

Meanwhile, the police have met with the clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, and some principal officers over a petition that the Senate standing rules was substituted.

The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Abayomi Shogunle, confirmed that the meeting took place in the office of the clerk on Monday.

Shogunle said that a senator had petitioned that the standing rule was substituted without the authorisation of the Senate.

He said that the meeting followed a request by the police to the clerk.

He also confirmed that the petitioner (senator) had made a statement to the police over the allegation.

Asked whether the petition was specifically targeted at the deputy president of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, the deputy force spokesman, said it was not but “against procedure”.

Shogunle said contrary to reports, the deputy Senate president was not invited by the police and declined further comments, adding that the matter was under investigation