BREWING CONTROVERSIES ON THE SENATE FORGERY CASE

The new forgery case bella long the leadership of the house of senate has since generated a mixed reactions from diverse observers and interested onlookers as a whole

BREWING CONTROVERSIES ON THE SENATE FORGERY CASE
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The new forgery case bella long the leadership of the house of senate has since generated a mixed reactions from diverse observers and interested onlookers as a whole. It happens that some senators sent a petition to the police and the police after investigation confirmed a case of forgery and recommended for it prosecution.
Mind you, these are response from interested observers who tends to know their onus in the Nigerian political and legal terrain.

Clear conscience they say fear no accusation. Why all the noise about going to court? The law is meant for all, including members of the senate. It has been stories of the executive witch hunting the opposition and now the opposition are also crying that the ruling party is after one of its own
“which way Nigerians?”. Saraki and co should face trial and if found not guilty will be discharge and acquitted. What have the present senate and even the national assembly as a whole done since its inception to better the life of Nigerians? They have the responsibility to make laws for peace, order and good governance for the federation as empowered by the constitution.

With the present security issues and economic challenges in the country, kindly just tell me one law that have been made by the national assembly as a means of solution to these problems. But “No” they are after their personal greed and political benefits, they prefer to amend the constitution to suit themselves, and inconvinient the common masses. The other day, I haeard they just passed a law that ban a five year use on automobile tyres, where does that leaves a common man who solely depend on tokunbo tyres for his car either for business or for private use. But, they want life pension for their members, right to amend the constitution without the president assent and immunity for their leadership. The highest they have achieved so far is either to summon a minister to appear before it or direct responsibility to the federal government.

But if I may ask, is the national assembly not part of the Federal Government? Every time FG this and FG that. The painful truth is that the present senate leadership is designed to frustrate the program of this administration and this is being champion by some fake APC senators who are truly PDP in disguise but actually they will surely fail. Some low thinking individuals are trying to attribute Saraki fate to how the leadership of the senate emerged but the truth remains that just as Saraki was not tipped by the ruling party as its candidate for the senate presidency also was the case of Dogara in the house of Rep.

The house of Rep so far has been Their senate counterparts and have achieved maximum results more than the senate could, how could we expect a good leadership terrain from a man who famously cheated his way into the third highest office in the land such enormous task

BUT, ANOTHER RESPONSE MAINTAINED THAT;

The life span of every Senate and House is four years, from the date it was inaugurated. And the rule book or standing orders also end with it. You cannot use 2003 rule for a Senate or House that was inaugurated in 2007, just as you can not use a 2011 copy for 2015. Now, were there to be two sets of 2015 rule book, one could as well say one of two must be the original.

But in this case we have none of such. To claim and prove forgery, the original must exist? So in this case, where is the original? That is one. Two, assuming, but without conceding, that there was indeed a forgery, it is settled matter in law, it is not for executive arm to come help them resolve it. And this point was made clear by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, when he ruled on one of the cases last year.

Hear him” allegation of forgery is made, it is for the Court to reflect deeply whether it is not an allegation which the Senate Committees on Rules and of its Ethics, can validly investigate and to take steps within its own internal proceedings to nullify any of its Standing Orders found to be irregular and to also sanction any of its members that may be found culpable. One of the sanctions it may prescribe is to recommend such member or members to the defendants (Police) for prosecution.

All of these are my thinking as a way to protect the integrity and independence of the National Assembly, so that neither the Executive arm as constituted by the Defendants nor by the Judiciary should be allowed to pry into a matter which the National Assembly as the Legislative arm of government can deal with applying its own Rules and Standing Orders.” He went on to add that ” …I am wary that a dangerous precedent is not being set for the 8th National Assembly to have its internal proceedings, being regulated, and perhaps supervised by other arms of government of the federation, i.e. the Executive and Judicial arms….”

BUT ANOTHER REACTION SAYS;

The rules used to elect the principal members of the 8th Senate – the Senate standing order 2015 , was a fraudulent document. There was no such thing as Senate standing order 2015 when the current principal officers of our Senate were elected in June, 2015

The legitimate Senate standing order – Senate Standing Order 2011 – which was used in the 7th senate, was never amended before the 7th Senate completed their business. This much has been admitted by a majority of the 7th Senate

The argument being set forth by our oppressors, that the leadership of the senate can amend its rules at will, is not correct.

Rule 110 of the legitimate Senate standing order – Senate standing order 2011 – clearly specifies the procedure that must be used to amend our Senate standing order, including the opportunity for all senators to be heard and a vote of 2/3 majority of senators. That was not done here.

What happened is that some idiots brazenly produced a fake document, that was used to elect Saraki and Ekweremadu, by changing the rules for that election from open ballot of all senators elect to secret ballot and optional participation of Senators elect. This is not a family affair. It is an outrage.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is not a Banana Republic. For years we have seen public officials violating every conceivable law of the land, including the Nigerian constitution, with impunity.

We cannot tolerate a situation where the violation of our rules and laws has now morphed into forgery of those same rules and laws, including our legitimate 2011 Standing order of the senate.

Another assertion;

In line with democratic culture, the majority of the senators had their way in choosing Saraki as the Senate President and the minority senator opposed to his ascension, as envisaged by democratic principle had their say in petitioning the Police that the Senate rules was forged by the majority to have their way.

The Police IG investigated and established a case and recommend prosecution to AGF in line with the constitution. Due Process at its best! No Impunity! The outcome of the case will expose either the minority as bad looser or the majority as fraudulent impostor. Whichever way our democracy is better.