FG Lines Up 15 Witnesses To Sink Saraki, Ekweremadu Over Forgery Crime

The chances of Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and his deputy Mr Ike Ekweremadu hanging on to their positions seems slimmer by the day as the federal government moves takes another step in removing them from their respective offices

No fewer than 15 witnesses have been lined up by the Federal Government in the forgery case brought against them

Others due to appear before the court on Monday for allegedly forging the Senate Standing Rules 2015 are a former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and the Acting Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly‎, Benedict Efeturi.

In the court summons pasted on the Notice Board of the National Assembly on Tuesday, about 15 witnesses were listed by the Federal Government to testify against the defendants.

Among the witnesses are Senator Solomon Ewuga, Senator Ita Enang, Senator Ajayi Borrofice, Senator Kabiru Marafa, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Senator Abu Ibrahim, Senator Ahmad Lawan and David Igbodo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police.

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Court Officials Paste Saraki, Ekweremadu's CRIMINAL Summons On NASS Board, See Photo

The official court summons inviting the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, the outgoing Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa; and  the Deputy Clerk, Benedict Efeturi, to appear before the court for the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Order 2015. was yesterday pasted on the Senate board by some people, suspected to be bailiffs from the FCT High Court, Abuja.

The Summon read;

“By oral application, dated June 21, 2016, moved by D. E. Kaswe, Principal State Counsel, Federal Ministry of Justice, in this case praying the court for:

“An order of this Honourable Court granting leave to the complainant/applicant to serve the criminal summons on the defendants by substituted means to wit by pasting it at the Notice Board of the National Assembly, Three Arms Zone, Abuja.

“And after hearing D. E. Kaswe with A. A. Kaltingo Esq, counsel for the complainant/applicant moved the court orally for the above relief.”

It was also observed that the handwritten statements of Maikasuwa and Efeturi as well as that of 13 other former senators, interrogated by the police, were also pasted along with the court summons, Punch Newspaper reports

In their own submissions to the police as contained in the document pasted to the board at the National Assembly, Maikasuwa and Efeturi denied being part of the alleged forgery of the document.

Maikashuwa said, “The Senate Standing Order used in Seventh Senate was not known to me. The Clerk of the Senate (Efeturi) is in position to know. I was not aware of the amendment that was made to the Standing rules.”

Efeturi said, “The Senate Leadership handled the 2015 Standing Rules as amended by their convention and practice. Standing Orders 2003, 2007 and 2011 followed similar practice.”

Our correspondent further noted that a Deputy Inspector-General of Police interrogated and obtained statements from 15 witnesses, including Senators Suleiman Hunkunyi, Solomon Enang, Solomon Ewuga, Ahmad Lawan, Abu Ibrahim and Babafemi Ojudu, on the issue.

Some Sergeant-at-Arms, however, besieged the notice board and removed all the court summons even when many people were still reading the documents.

Saraki, Ekweremadu's Forgery Case POSTPONED, Summons Notice Pasted On N'Assembly Notice Board

The supposed trial of the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, on alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules has been postponed till next week Monday by the Federal Hight Court, Abuja., TheEagle Online says

This is just as the Court granted orders to paste the charges against Saraki and Ekweremadu on the National Assembly notice board.

Justice Yusuf Halilu fixed the date after ordering substituted service of the charges on the defendants.‎

Apart from Saraki and Ekweremadu, the outgoing clerk of the National Assembly, Salishu Maikasuwa, and the Deputy Acting Clerk of the National Assembly, Ben Efeturi, are also charged to court on the same forgery allegation.

The accused persons were initially to be arraigned in court on Tuesday (today).

However, due to the inability of to serve them the court summons properly, it was postponed till next week.

Also accused along Saraki and Ekweremadu forging the senate standing rule that helped Saraki and Ekweremadu emerge leaders of the senate last year. are former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi.

Double 'Wahala' For Saraki As Forgery Suit, CCT Trial All Slated For Tomorow

The trouble that has befallen the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki since hs emergence over a year ago took a new dimension as he will face different criminal charges tomorrow.

As Saraki is scheduled to appear on Tuesday before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Jabi, Abuja for arraignment on charges of forgery, he will also appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for his ongoing trial for alleged false and anticipatory asset declaration.

Both the FCT High Court and the CCT share a boundary in Jabi area of Abuja, Punch Newspaper reports.

According to Punch Newspaper, Sources from the Federal Ministry of Justice confirmed to our correspondent on the telephone on Monday that Saraki alongside the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and their co-accused will appear before Justice Yusuf Halilu, for arraignment on two counts of forgery and criminal conspiracy tomorrow.

Saraki, Ekweremadu, a former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasu, and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi, were on June 10, charged with criminal conspiracy and forgery of the Standing Rules used for the leadership election of the presiding officers of the Senate in J‎une last year.

The Federal Government  stated that the offence of conspiracy is 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.

Meanwhile, the  Code of Conduct Tribunal had on June 15 adjourned the trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, till June 21.

The tribunal adjourned for the hearing of a fresh motion filed by Saraki seeking an order of the CCT disqualifying its Chairman, Danladi Umar, from further presiding over the case.

Saraki filed his fresh application accusing Umar of bias based on the remark made by the tribunal chairman at the last proceedings on June 7, 2016, while warning the defence against delay tactics.

Umar made the statement that was picked up while warning the defence that their delay tactics would not “reduce the consequences the defendant will meet in this tribunal at the end of the trial”.

Saraki, in his fresh application filed by his lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN), alleged that Umar’s statement would prejudice the outcome of the trial.

Saraki is being prosecuted by the Federal Government before the CCT on 16 counts, including false and anticipatory asset declaration, which he allegedly made between 2003 and 2011 when he served as the Governor of Kwara State.

He is ‎also accused  of operating foreign accounts as a public officer and of receiving governor’s salary or emoluments  in addition to his salary as a senator for some periods after completing his two terms as governor and got elected as a senator.

Saraki And Ekweremadu Evade Court Summons Over Forgery Of Senate Standing Order

Sahara Reporters - Indications emerged last night that the Federal Government may serve court summons on  President Bukola Saraki and Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu respectively, through the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly,  Mohammed Sani-Omolori, following alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules of 2015. The duo has evaded service of court summons since they were informed about their pending forgery trial late last week.

Last week, the Federal Government filed charges against Saraki and Ekweremadu in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Others joined in the suit are former Clerk of the National Assembly, Abubakar Maikasuwa and Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Benedict Efeturi, who has just few months left to retire from the civil service.

The charges are allegedly based on the outcome of police investigation into the forgery, but Saraki and Ekweremadu claimed yesterday that they were never invited for questioning by the Nigeria Police before preferring charges against them.

They lamented that they were only invited for questioning on June 7, 2016, which was barely three days to the filing of the two charges against them on June 10. 

Sources at the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice told SaharaReporters that it has been difficult for the court summons- charge sheet and hearing notices- to be served on Saraki and Ekweremadu.

"We have not been able to access Saraki and Ekweremadu to serve them both the summons and charge sheets but from the look of things, we may invoke relevant sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act ( 2015), which empowers us to notify them through the Clerk of the National Assembly or by pasting the summons on the conspicuous part of their premises or offices.

"We will invoke sections 124 and 125(1) (2)  of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act hopefully by today (Monday). By then, we should have completed the process of serving the summons on them."

There was anxiety in Saraki and Ekweremadu's camps last night in the latest court action against them as they alleged that there are plans to arrest and lock them in Kuje prison.

"We learnt of a plot to arrest and detain Saraki and Ekweremadu. We are watching the development and we would respond accordingly within the ambit of the rule of law.

"I think they want to trick them into police custody and detain them before arraigning them in court," said another source.

Saraki, Ekweremadu Forgery Case: "Don't Dare Us", Senate Spits Fire At FG

Following a forgery suit filed by the Federal Government against the Senate President, Bu­kola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekwerenmadu and other clerical staff of the National Assembly, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the Senate yesterday spat fire, warning that the FG should  not dare the senior legislative arm

The Senate warned against mistaking its maturity and hand of co-operation being extended to the Presidency as a sign of weakness.

The FG, through the of­fice of the Attorney-Gener­al of the Federation (AGF), on June 10, 2016, slammed a two-count charge border­ing on criminal conspiracy and forgery against Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, Benedict Efeturi, Saraki and Ekweremadu.

In the suit, Saraki, Ekweremadu and oth­ers allegedly “caused the Standing Order to be believed as the genuine Standing Orders, 2015 and circulated same for use during the inauguration of the 8th Senate of the Na­tional Assembly of the Fed­eral Republic of Nigeria, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Law.”

But the Senate, through its spokesman, Abdullahi Sabi described the suit as unconstitutional, viola­tion of the principles of separation of powers as enshrined in the constitu­tion and danger to Nige­ria’s democracy.

Senate accused the executive of plotting to muzzle the legislature and criminalise legislative process in order to force a leadership change, “or, in the extreme case, ground the Red Chamber of the National Assembly. Or how does one interpret a move in which the two presiding officers are be­ing set up to be remanded in Kuje Prison or inca­pacitated from sitting at plenary through a day-to-day trial on a matter that is purely an internal affair of the Senate.”

The senate spokes­man also alleged that the presidency was desperate to return to the era of im­punity and lack of respect for due process.

“We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to call his Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to order. The Senate of the Federal Republic voted freely to elect its leader­ship into office and con­tinuing attempts to change that leadership through the wanton abuse of judi­cial processes cannot stand in the eyes of the world.”

This is even as Ekwer­emadu said he was not scared of the fresh suit filed against him.

Speaking through his media aide, Mr. Uche Ani­chukwu, Ekweremadu not­ed that the media reports on his purported invitation by the Nigeria Police and the charges reportedly preferred against him be­fore the FCT High Court, Abuja, in connection with the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Orders 2011 was a fresh attempt to witchhunt him.

“The hands of Senator Ike Ekweremadu are clean because he has no business whatsoever with the pro­duction of Senate Standing Orders. This latest attempt to try and convict him in the court of public opinion notwithstanding, we do not want to mount a public defence. We would rather meet them in court if they so wish,” the aide said.

The crisis rocking the Red Chamber started last year following the emer­gence of Saraki as Sen­ate President against the wishes of some powerful interests in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dissatisfied with the Saraki’s “coup”, some sena­tors under the aegis of the Unity Forum approached an Abuja Federal High Court, seeking the nul­lification of the election based on claims that the Senate Standing Rules were forged.

But the Senate spokes­man said the Attorney General and party leaders behind the latest court action either lacked the understanding of the underlining principles of constitutional democracy, the concept of separation of powers, checks and bal­ances and parliamentary convention or they do not care if the present democ­racy survived or collapsed “in their blinded determi­nation to get Saraki and Ekweremadu by all means necessary, including abuse of office and sacking the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The Nigerian people have enough economic hardship at this time requiring the full attention and cooperation of the three arms of government, instead of these attempts to distract and politicise governance. We are in a state of economic emer­gency such that what the National Assembly needs at this time are executive bills and proposals aimed at resolving the crises of unemployment, currency depreciation, inflation, crime and insecurity.

“What the National Assembly needs now are executive bills to build and strengthen institutions to earn revenues, fight corruption and eliminate waste. Instead, we are getting hostile actions aimed at destabilising the National Assembly, distracting Senators from their oversight functions and ensuring good and ac­countable governance.”

The Senate further maintained: “We must make it clear here to the individuals in the Execu­tive arm and party leader­ship behind these plots not to mistake the maturity and hand of co-operation being extended to the Presidency by the legisla­ture as a sign of weakness.

“The National Assembly bent backwards to accom­modate various infrac­tions and inefficiencies in pursuit of inter-arms co-operation and national interest. We did not follow up the various infractions because we believe there are bigger issues which the government has to at­tend to in order to ensure that every Nigerian have food on his table and live comfortably in a secure environment. We know that the country is actu­ally in a state of economic emergency and all hands must be on deck.”

Daily Sun

Senate FORGERY Scandal: Saraki In FRESH Trouble As FG Files New Suit Against Him, Ekweremadu

The Federal Government has filed charges at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, over the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules.

Others are the immediate past Clerk to the National Assembly,  Abubakar Maikasuwa and the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, Benedict Efeturi.

Federal Government of Nigeria (Complainant) slammed a two-count charge of “criminal conspiracy, contrary to Section 97 of the Penal Code Law” and “Forgery contrary to 362 of the Penal Code Law” against Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, Benedict Efeturi, Dr. Olubukola Saraki, and Ike Ekweremadu.

In its Particulars of Offence to count one, the Federal Government alleged that the accused persons committed the offence of Conspiracy, punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Law.

The Federal Government further alleged that Saraki, Ekweremadu and others caused the Standing Order to be believed as the genuine Standing Orders, 2015 and circulated same for use during the inauguration of the 8th Senate of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Law.

The charge sheet dated 10th June 2016 was signed by D.E Kaswe Esq., Principal State Counsel on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation and backed by an Affidavit of Completion of Investigation deposed to at the Federal High Court Registry, Abuja on the same date by Okara Neji Jonah, a Litigation Officer at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja.

Listed as witnesses in the suit, which has been assigned to Hon. Justice Yusuf Haliru for hearing are, 

Senator Othman Hunkuyi, Senator Ahmed Lawan, Senator Abdullahi Gumel, Senator Kabiru Marafa, Senator Robert Boroffice, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, and Senator Abu Ibrahim, all members of the Senate Unity Forum (SUF), the group of Senators that pushed unsuccessfully for the election of Senator Lawan as the Senate President.

Other witnesses include former Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, currently Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang; 

Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of FCIID and one of the contenders for the Office of the IGP, Dan’Azumi Doma, and Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Ojudu Babafemi. Isyaka Laminu Badamasi, Nuru Shehu Toro, Bulus Atsen, Ali Wakili, Shehu Sani

Desperate Saraki In Fresh Fight-To-Finish With Presidency Over New NASS Clerk; You'll Be Shocked At The Secret Behind

In a bid to cover-up for the perjury case that heralded his emergence as the Senate President of the 8th National Assembly, Bukola Saraki is in fresh desperate move to ensure his stooge emerged as the next clerk of the national assembly, Ripples Nigeria reports this morning.

As reported by our source, News punch understands that forces in the presidency are engaged in a battle of wits with Senate President, Bukola Saraki over the appointment of an Acting Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA).

The current CNA Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa is expected to proceed on terminal leave from May 14.

The CNA is statutorily appointed by the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), a parastatal responsible for recruiting and managing the workforce of the National Assembly.

The 12 Commissioners of the body are however appointed by the President from across the six geo-political zones of the nation.

The replacement of Maikasuwa has been enmeshed in intrigues and controversies with the NASC appointing Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, as Acting Clerk.

His appointment was however challenged by Saraki in a letter on April 22 to Chairman of the Commission, Dr Adamu Fika.

The Senate President called for withdrawal of Sani-Omolori’s appointment because he was not consulted and the exercise was carried out without consideration for the principle of seniority in the Civil Service.

Saraki called for the appointment of the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly (DCNA), Benedict Efeturi, instead of Sani-Omolori.

But Fika countered that Efeturi was not qualified for the post because it is against Civil Service rule to appoint someone who is six months away from terminal leave.

Investigations revealed that Saraki and forces in the presidency are desperate to have their stooges in the office because of the Senate perjury, which has been reopened by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

Malami has given the Director of Public Prosecution and the Police two weeks to prefer charges against suspects, who allegedly forged the Senate Standing Orders used for the proclamation of the current 8th Senate.

It is believed that the Senate Standing Orders were forged to facilitate the election of Saraki and Senator Ike Ekeremadu on June 9, 2015.

The former CNA, it was alleged, connived with former Senate President David Mark to alter the Standing Orders few days before the election.

Forces in the presidency believe that by determining the new CNA, it will be easy to prove the complicity of Mark, Ekeremadu and others in the case.

A source told Ripples Nigeria: “You know the CNA is the live wire of the National Assembly. They could get away with the alteration because the man there cooperated.

“If someone else gets there, he will help to facilitate quick trial and even reveal more facts that will nail the culprits.

“But if they have their way again, we should expect the case to die a natural death. This is why it is essential to stop them from having their man in the office again.”

The Saraki’s camp is also desperate to get Efeturi into office to get favourable directions during the case.

Should the case of criminal conspiracy, forgery, breach of official trust and unlawful assembly said to have contravened various provisions of the Penal Code be proven, it will consume the leadership of the Senate.

This is considered another potential banana peel for the embattled Saraki to tackle aside from his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over alleged false declaration of assets.

It was learnt that both camps are prepared to go for broke over the appointment, fuelling fears that the vacancy might not be filled after May 14.

While Fika is believed to be dancing to the tune of presidential forces, Saraki is said to be leaving nothing to chances in the battle to install the next CNA.