Abuja Court SACKS PDP Chairman, Makarfi

An Abuja High Court has sacked the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ahmed Makarfi

Justice Okon Abang of the Fed­eral High Court, Abuja reaf­firmed Ali Modu Sheriff as chairman and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with an attendant order for the Independent Electoral Com­mission, INEC to accord him the nec­essary recognition by accepting his nominees for the governorship elec­tions in Edo and Ondo states, Daily Sun reports this morning

An enrolment order of the court in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/SC/2016, brought before him, the judge stated that the Ahmed Makarfi Caretaker Commit­tee lacks legitimacy in the eyes of the law, and cannot take any action on behalf of the PDP.

Justice Abang who had earlier asked Makarfi’s lawyers to leave his court had noted that the circum­stances of Makarfi’s emergence as a caretaker chairman of the PDP was both suspicious and in breach of ear­lier court orders.

While making references to earlier court rulings of May 12 and 20, 2016, as having foreclosed the emergence of new set of leaders for the party, Justice Abang stressed that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff remains the lawful chairman.

The judge ordered the Indepen­dent National Electoral Commission, INEC to accept nominations of candi­dates for the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states from the Sheriff leadership and not from any other person or persons or their proxies.

Police Authority SACKS Notorious Joseph Mbu, 20 Others AIGs, See Why & The List of Affected Officers

The police authority has approved the compulsory retirement of the 'notorious' Police Assistant Inspector General, Mbu Joseph Mbu and 20 other AIGs.

Mbu's notoriety was shown during former President Goodluck Jonathan's regime when he said he could kill anybody indiscriminately in Rivers State and Abuja during the build up to 2015 elections.

He was more famed when he barred the then Governor Rotimi Amechi from entering Government, House Port Harcourt during Jonathan's regime when he was Police Commissioner of Rivers with the hope of becoming an IG if Jonathan had won election.

The Police Service Commission compulsorily retired them Over their higher rank than the newly appointed Acting Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim

The affected AIGs include,;

1. Bala Hassan; 
2. Yahaya Ardo; 
3. Irmiya Yarima; 
4. Danladi Mshebwala;  
5. Tambari  Mohammed ; 
6. Bala Magaji Nasarawa; 
7. MUsa Abdulsalam; 
8. Adisa Bolanta 
9. Mohammed Gana.
10. Umaru  Manko;  
11. Lawal Tanko; 
12. Olufemi  Adenike; 
13. Johnson Ogunsakin; 
14. Adenrele Shinaba; 
15. James Caulcrick;  
16. Olufemi   Ogunbayode; 
17. Edgar Nanakumo; 
18. Kalafite  Adeyemi;  
19. Patrick Dokumor ; 
20. Joseph Mbu and 
21. Sabo  Ringim.

A statement on Friday in Abuja by the Head, Press and Public Relations, PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, said the Chairman of the Commission,  Mike Okiro “congratulated

the affected officers for their meritorious service to the nation and wished them well in their new endeavours.”

Updates on Abia State Governorship Judicial Abracadabra

The judicial abracadabra beclouding the Abia State governorship seat seem to  have had no head as at press time.

The Nigeria Police Force on Friday said it was monitoring events in Abia State, where a political leadership crisis in unfolding, threatening the peace of the state.

The assurance came amid concerns of a potential breakdown of law and order that may arise as a result of INEC’s decision to issue the certificate of return to oil and gas executive, Sampson Ogah, in compliance with a Federal High Court ruling on Monday.

Mr. Ogah had challenged the emergence of the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, as the winner of the Peoples Democratic Party’s ticket in the gubernatorial primaries held in December 2014.

Mr. Ogah said Mr. Ikpeazu had defaulted on his taxes, adding that he submitted fraudulent tax documents to qualify as a candidate in the primaries.

In a verdict delivered by Abang Okon, the FHC in Abuja found Mr. Ikpeazu guilty of the charges and ordered INEC to issue a certificate of return to Mr. Ogah to pave way for his swearing-in.

Mr. Ikpeazu appealed the judgment and notified INEC of the development.

But the electoral umpire went ahead to execute the order of the court, saying it never received any notice of appeal from Mr. Ikpeazu.

Soon as he was in receipt of his certificate of return, Mr. Ogah embarked on a journey to Umuahia, the state capital, to prepare grounds for his swearing-in on Friday.

But while on his way, Mr. Ogah received notifications that Mr. Ikpeazu had secured an injunction from an Abia State high court stopping the Chief Judge of the State, the President of the Customary Court of Appeal and any other judicial officer from swearing in Mr. Ogah as governor.

Mr. Ikpeazu also declared a public holiday for Friday and Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday had already been declared public holidays by the federal government.

Mr. Ogah’s efforts to get sworn-in as governor on Friday morning was thwarted by the absence of the state’s Chief Judge, Theresa Uzoukwu.

Also on Friday morning, INEC finally acknowleged it is in possession of a notice of appeal from Mr. Ikpeazu, but said it did not include a notice of stay-of-execution order from the court.

The uncertainties prompted the police to intensify security activities across the state, its spokesperson said.

Don Awunah, the newly-appointed Force Public Relations Officer, said the police were on the ground to ensure that a peaceful atmosphere is maintained.

How We Used 'Doctored' Standing Orders For Saraki, Ekweremadu; David Mark Ordered - Deputy Clerk Reveals

In an exclusive report, the deputy clerk of the National Assembly has confirmed to police investigators that the senate's standing orders used for the 2015 elections of Saraki and Ekweremadu as president and deputy, were indeed different.

Speaking with the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department of the Nigerian Police Force, the deputy clerk of the National Assembly, Benedict Efeturi, has disclosed to the investigators that the senate’s standing orders used for the 2015 elections of Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu as senate president and deputy respectively, was different from the 2011 version.

Efeturi who made the disclosure in the heat of the allegations that the rules were forged to help the lawmakers, said the alteration, which some senators denounced as illegal as lawmakers were not informed about, was based on the directive of the former senate leadership, led by its president, David Mark.

He said the amendment was done “by convention and practice” and not be “procedure”, as previous versions of the rules were amended by the same method.

In his statement to the police, Efeturi, who is also the Clerk of the Senate, said the leadership of the 7th Senate under David Mark ordered the 2015 Standing Rules be amended “not necessarily by procedure” but “by convention and practice”.

According to the report, he “stated that the leadership of the National Assembly of the 7th Senate ordered the 2015 Standing Rules as amended by their convention and practice. (He stated) that the Senate Standing Orders 2003, 2007 and 2011 followed the same procedure as that of 2015. He emphasized that in the Parliament, amendment of the Standing Orders is by practice not necessarily by procedure.

“He further stated that during the ruling of the Senate President on the 24th of June 2015, that the Senate Standing Orders of the Senate 2015 is authentic, final, relevant and cannot be challenged. He attached a copy of the debates of the Senate on Wednesday, the 24th of June where the Senate President ruled (that) the Senate Standing Order 2015 as authentic Standing Orders of the 8th Senate.”

Meanwhile, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, the Clerk to the National Assembly, who conducted the elections of Saraki and Ekweremadu, said he did not refer to any Senate Standing Rules, rather, he said he only performed his duty using “normal procedures for the opening of a new parliament”.

He said, according to the police report, “that before the election, he called on the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly who is also the Clerk to the Senate to read out the guidelines for the election”.

He denied knowledge of the existence or production of an amended Senate Standing Rules 2015, saying he had no business in the daily activities in the Senate, and told the police Efeturi was “in better position to know of the 2015 Standing Orders as amended”.

The report says a number of Senators, including Suleiman Hukunyi, Kabiru Marafa, Ahmed Lawan, Abdullahi Gumel, Gbenga Ashafa, Robert Boroffice and Abu Ibrahim, were invited during the investigation.

In their separate statements, they said the 7th Senate did not amend the 2011 Standing Rules and thus, the amendment rules used for inauguration of the eighth assembly was fraudulent since there was no compliance with the requirements for amendment of Senate Rules.

Senator Faruk Lawan who contested and lost the senate presidency to Saraki, said, “The procedures for election into the two presiding offices are clearly stipulated in Order 2 (2(i) of the Senate Standing Rules 2011. That contrary to the provision of the above order, the Clerk to the National Assembly introduced and used order 3(3) e (ii) of the purported 2015 Standing Order”.

The report also noted the submissions of some former lawmakers like Ita Enang, who was chairman, Rules and Business in the seventh senate, told the police that the previous Senate did not amend the rules.

Meanwhile Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu's spokesperson, Uche Anichukwu, told Premium Times that only All Progressives Congress Senators in the Unity Forum - a group opposed to the election of Saraki - were invited for questioning. He queried the basis for his arraignment as he was neither questioned nor indicted by the police.

In the summary, the police’s CIID said the contents of the 2015 Rules “are substantially different from the Senate Standing Order 2011 as amended” and that “Sections 2(iv), 3(3)EI,ii,iii,G and H, 5 and 7 of the Rules are different in the two Orders”.

“The allusion of the Clerk of the Senate to procedure of amending the Standing Orders of the Parliament through ‘practice and not necessarily procedure’ is a misplaced analogy and undemocratic because the Nigerian Senate has clearly laid down without a proviso, the procedure to be adopted in amending its standing orders as contained in the section 110 of 2011 Senate Standing Orders.

“This practice where some group of senators amend the Rules of the Senate without following legal procedures is not only criminal but portends danger for growing democracy,” the Police said.

The report, dated July 14, 2015, was forwarded to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to determine “if this conduct constitutes crime or should be treated as an internal affairs of the Senate”.

Premium Times

Pandemonium Looms In Abia As 2 Governors Lock Horns

Pandemonium may ensue in Abia State should the relevant authorities refuse to wade in and solve the legal puzzles currently taking over the politics of the state as two members of the Peoples Democratic Party are laying claim to a governor's seat.

Mr. Uche Ogar has insisted that he is the rightful governor of Abia state and has to be sworn-in in obedience to the ruling of the Abuja High court.

Ogar in a statement by his Media Adviser, Monday Ubani, stated that the ruling by the Abia state high court stopping his swearing in is subordinate to that of the Abuja court, and hence cannot hold.

Ogar also stated that he was on his way to Abia state to be sworn in.

This is likely to create a faceoff, between his tam and that of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu who has also insisted that he remains the governor of the state, based on the ruling of the state high court.

The statement from Ogar reads: “The Federal high court of Abuja presided over by Justice Okon Abang ordered Dr Okezie Ikpeazu to vacate his seat for Dr Uche Ogah OON as the rightful person for the seat. INEC was ordered to issue the said Ogah with a certificate of return which that body has complied with”.

“The next order that was issued by the federal high court was for the Chief Judge of Abia to swear in Dr Uche Ogah, the rightful person to occupy the governor’s seat. That order is yet to be complied with”.

“I understand that a high court in Osisioma Ngwa the axis where the governor hails from has issued an interim order restraining the Chief Judge from swearing in Dr Uche Ogah as the governor of the State. The point must be made that this order cannot stand as it is invalid in law”.

Read also: I won’t handover, I remain gov, Ikpeazu says

“The order did not emanate from a higher court but from a court of coordinate jurisdiction and does not in any vitiate or invalidate the earlier judgement of the Federal High Court in which the Chief Judge of Abia State was ordered to swear in Dr Uche Sampson Ogah. Only a higher court, in this case Court of Appeal has the jurisdiction to reverse the judgement of the Federal High Court”.

“Note also that appeal of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu before the Court of Appeal does not operate as a stay over the judgement of Justice Okon Abang. In the absence of any express order of the high court or the court of appeal ordering stay of execution, the judgement of the Federal High Court delivered on the 27th of June, 2016 should be obeyed by all the parties.”

Speaking through another aide, Peter Agba Kalu, Mr. Ogah said he was on his way to Umuahia, the Abia State capital for swearing in.

He said, “We are en route to Umuahia for the swearing in from Imo Airport.

“We don’t believe there is an injunction like that. The injunction is baseless and against the rules of the judiciary”.

“Is the injunction saying that the Certificate of return issued to Uche Ogah is not legal. Is it saying that Abia should not have a Governor because the Certificate of return nollifies that issued to Ikpeazu”, the statement read.

“We also have a directive by the CJN that he should be sworn in immediately. So that injunction to the best of our knowledge does not exist and where it exist is null and void because it has already been overtaken by events.”

Meanwhile, As soon as INEC’s issuance of the Certificate of Return to Ogah was announced, Gov­ernor Okezie Ikpeazu rushed to the law courts to obtain an ex- parte order restraining the Chief Judge or any other judge of the court or any judicial of­ficer of the state from swearing-in Ogah as the new governor of the state.

And after receiving his cer­tificate from INEC, Ogah took a chartered flight from Abuja to Umuahia, the state capital, for the oath-taking ceremony. He, how­ever, ended up in Owerri, the Imo State capital, where he un­veiled his governance blueprint for the state.

Ikpeazu also rose to the chal­lenge, when he appealed to the people to remain calm and as­sured them that the matter would be resolved by the courts.

In the court injunction he issued yesterday, Justice C. H. Ahuchaogu, of the Osisioma Ju­dicial Division, restrained INEC from issuing certificate of return to Ogah “while the claimant (Ik­peazu) remains in office.”

Ikpeazu had, through his counsel, Mr. O. O. Nkume, filed an ex parte motion seeking an order of the court to stop Ogah from being sworn in as the Gov­ernor of the state.

The defendants in the motion are: Ogah (first defendant), INEC (second defendant) and the Abia State Chief Judge (third defend­ant).

As the confusion and politi­cal tension in the state threatened to boil over into unrests, Ikpeazu appealed to the people to remain calm in spite of the unsavoury de­velopments.

He insisted that he was still in charge. In a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Enyin­naya Apollos, the governor ex­pressed surprise over INEC’s ac­tion despite his notice of appeal against the Justice Okon Abang’s judgement that ordered him to vacate office.

He said: “I have received, with concern, reports of the purported issuance of certificate of return to Mr. Uche Ogah by INEC as governor of Abia State, despite the pendency of a notice of appeal and motion for stay of the orders made by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

“Our laws are clear on this matter. No one may be issued with a certificate of return, let alone be sworn in as governor when there is a subsisting appeal and application for stay.

“I want to appeal to Abians to remain calm and law-abiding in the face of this provocation, un­less and until the appellant courts have conclusively resolved the appeal; the status remains, I am still the governor of Abia State,” he said.

Towards A Lasting Peace: A Comprehensive Plan To Make C'River State Peaceful, Tourism & Investors Destination, By Ifere Paul

 Ifere Paul

There had been serious cult activities in the past two weeks. The clashes have left so many people dead. In the last count, over 28 people lost their lives in Calabar. 

The facts are the same with the cult clashes that took place in Obudu LGA where more than 11 people lost their lives.

Recently, there had been increased in communal clashes that has left lives and properties destroyed. More than 12 people have died between the Nko-Mkpani communal clash. This is apart from the secret kidnapping of indigenes of these villages. 

Many other communal clashes are reported daily by either CrossRiverWatch,  calitown, and or mycrossrivereye. 

Apart from these, there had also been incessant robbery around Calabar and its environs. Arm gangs clashes with the security forces is a normal occurrence lately.

Scolombo boys and lacasera girls roams the streets and accosting and sometimes man-handling their victims, snatching phones and handbags, pick pocketing unsuspecting residents and visitors, and sometimes raping their vulnerable female victims.

Calabar and indeed the whole Cross River State was a State to reckoned with in terms of peace, tranquility and serene environment, it was also green with a hospitality parameters known no where else in Nigeria.

Sadly, government approach to issues of concern has been misplaced, and has occassioned a state of confusion in our once peaceful State. 

The worst is that now, kidnappers have invaded Calabar. Which is one of the most painful experience Cross River State will suffer from in the coming months if not years. Business is going to nose-dive, and investors are going to be scared coming to Cross River State. Especially that the kidnappers took away white people operating in Unicem in Cross River State.

The Chinese Bureau of Foreign Affairs has added Cross River State to the list of kidnapping States, and has provided warnings for Chinese citizens in Cross River State to be conscious, cautious, and careful. By this, my wife has cancelled traveling arrangement to Nigeria this August. It is this anger from that that has forced me to write this advisory article. Because, my wife's parents are already making a fuse about it in China.

I sincerely think the governor has lost control of the security apparatus in the State, and needs help that he is not willing to ask for. 

It is on this basis I felt it is necessary, even though I'm not a security expert to offer these suggestion. 

1. Governor Ben Ayade should as a matter of urgency convene a security meeting with all stakeholders in the State. That is, the AG, the commissioner of police, the chief security adviser, the paramount rulers, the LGA Chairpersons, the vice chancellors and provost of all tertiary institutions in the State and their directors/chief security officers. The aim should be

a. To brainstorm on the security challenges as experienced in their immediate communities and institutions. 

b. To make a possible roadmap towards lasting peace. By taken cognizance of all the listed problems in (a) above.

c. Stakeholders should be mandated to name individuals or groups responsible for the break down of law and order in their immediate environment.

d. Traditional rulers should be made to mandate their lesser traditional heads in various units to report to the State commissioner of police, elements that consistently disturbs peace in their environments.

e. Traditional vigilante policing should be encouraged by traditional councils to augment government security apparatus especially, where there are no police stations.

2. Mobile Police Post should be stationed permanently at various entrances of our institutions of higher learning. This experiment has been very successful during Donald Dukes tenure as governor. 

3. The State Security Service (SSS) can collaborate with all the institutions for intelligence gathering on related cult activities. During Professor Ivara Esu as the VC of Unical, there was sporadic cult clashes, and this method was then introduced.

4. SSS men sometimes attends classes with students to enable them assess possible miscreants. 

5. The school should also build a network of students informants for the Director of Security in their institutions. 

6. The New Commissioner of Police should start "Operation Sleep". Arrest, Question, Release or Detention of streets suspects. Even at day light, suspected movements or funny and unclear behaviour should be arrested and questioned.

7. Mobile Police Trucks full with policemen with fully kitted anti riot gears should be stationed at security hotspots like Watt Market Roundabout, Mobil By Highway, Municipality by Marian Market, Lagos Street by Unical Smallest Gate, Marian by Tata Fish, Effiette Roundabout, and a host of other hotspots.

8. It is very important that the Edundung Unicem highway be under police surveillance 24/7. At least there should be 5 police check points on that road. Arm Policemen should be stationed at both points of the bridge.

9. There should be a network of police activities at the Jonathan Bypass too. Police patrols should be deployed there.

Administratively, Governor Ben Ayade should as a matter of priority do the following:

a. Replace his Chief Security Adviser with one who has a background in security relations, and or a retired police or military officer with experience in security information gathering. The present security adviser is a novice. Besides, he is a cultist, belonging to the Viking's Confraternity of Nigeria. 

b. Fish out all cultists that are holding appointments in Cross River State, and ask them to denounce or be sacked. There are known cultists in Ayade government. It is not something we should be proud about. Even the co-governor is a big cultist. Commissioner of Youths and Sports Mr Asu is a cultist, the Commissioner of Education is the founder of Ugep Deciders, a known and deadly political cult group in Ugep. The SA to the governor on Media, Eval Asikong is a known cultist who was at one time hired by John Gaul to assassinate Blessing Njong. Miss Njong is now a known critic of Ben Ayade.

c. Streamline government apparatus to match current economic trends in the nation. In a bogus and bloated government such as what we have in CRS, it is difficult to know who is trading sensitive government information. Conflict of interest and clashes of responsibility between one department and ministries has became a common sight. If commissioner of youths and sports will plan an attack on Orok Duke using cultists, then, the governor should be careful with the people he is working with.

d. Therefore, for the governor to be able to take back the State, he has to sack fellow exco members who belongs to different cult groups. Either they denounce it publicly, or they are replaced or sacked.

On communal clashes, the governor should know that every farming season, there is a higher risk of communal clashes as a result of land disputes because of unclear boundary demarcations around the State. Therefore, the governor should be ready between the months of November and March for such clashes. The governor has the followings to do during this time:

a. Permanent Solutions should include tasking the Ministry of Land and Survey and Boundary Commission to redesign all disputed lands and borders. 

b. Cease all disputed lands and use same for government agricultural development scheme for micro agribusiness for both communities that are fighting over the border lands.

c. Establish CRS agricultural extension services outreach post on such disputed lands. The agricultural extension service outreach post can also utilize the lands for other purposes while engaging both communities to work together on such ventures.

d. Start up the Green Police in earnest, and post them to Border Commission to work with agricultural extension outpost and help in restoring peace in green areas that are hotspots of communal clashes.

e. Respond promptly to communal clashes by deploying arm mobile policemen or military men to quell conflict.

f. Traditional rulers, paramount ruler, family heads, etc should be contacted and information shared on how to permanently end communal clashes. 

g. Most Local Governments in Cross River State has land ownership among the paternal families. Therefore, paternal heads who control the family lands should be contacted for lasting solutions and peaceful co-existence. Where the land ownership system is matrimonial, the matrimonial heads should be brought into security and peace discussions processes.

What My Investigation Revealed:

1) There's a cult war between the Vikings and KKs serving in Ayade government. Over 25 people were killed in Calabar. According to my findings, it was as a result of the killing of a Keke Napep rider by a junior version (Maffs/Maffites) of KK cultists. This led to a revenge mission by Vikings, and the rest was an explosion of what we saw in Calabar. Now, people were arrested by the new commissioner of police. Meanwhile, the Chief Security Adviser has gone out to release all Vikings cultists arrested. The Chief of Staff in the other hand has also released all of the KK boys arrested. It is believed too that Martin Orim, who is also the Chief of Staff to the governor is also a KK.

2) Most of the security challenges in Cross River State including communal clashes were invincibly controlled by government officials who used it to get security votes. 

3) The Secretary of Scolombo Operation is another guy who is a friend and distant relation of the Chief Security Adviser to the governor. The guy himself is also a Viking. All members of the operation scolombo are all members of Vikings Confraternity. 

4) It is interesting to find out that a lot of people in Calabar knew that there was going to be the kidnapping of white people in Calabar. Surprising is the fact that Jude Ngaji was not aware of this plans until it occurred. It is more worrisome that the white people were released and Jude said that there was no ransome paid. So, who are the kidnappers?

5) Speaking with security experts in the State, I was told the security situation in Calabar and indeed the whole State, will be worse if appointees are known members of security sects and cults. 

My Recommendations: 

1. Scolombo Operations should be done with a civilian approach and managed or controlled by the Department of Social Welfare. Militarization of scolombo operation which in itself was meant to pick armless children off the streets is a bad approach to child welfare laws. Scolombo Operations should be limited to scolombo streets children, rather than militia operation aimed at fighting against rival cult groups.

2. Terminate the appointment of all known cultists.

3. The government to reduce the number of appointees. That way, only those who have proven their integrity are left to take decision on behalf of government.

4. All killings in the past 3 months should be properly investigated and a panel or Committee set up to look for lasting peace. All fighting and disagreements between appointees of the government should be investigated. The incident that took place in Transcorp Hotel, where the commissioner of youths and sports slapped a colleague should be investigated and action taken against defaulters. Martin Orim, who calmed the situation from. further escalation should be made to tell the truth without fear or favour.

5. The kidnapping incident that took place in Calabar should be a matter of priority to the executive governor. Because, if culprits are not brought to book, then, Calabar and indeed CRS in general will be the new market place for kidnappers.

Senate Forgery: You've No Power To Invite Me, AGF; We'll Order Your Arrest, Senate Threatens

Okoi Obono-Obla

The Nation - The ongoing war of attrition between the Presidency and the Senate got messier yesterday.

Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Mr. Abubakar Malami said the Senate lacked the power to summon him for questioning.

The AGF, who was invited by the Senate to appear before its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, said he was not answerable to the Senate.

He said the Senate did not appoint him and, therefore, lacked the jurisdiction to summon him.

 The Senate fired back that it may be forced to issue a warrant of arrest against the AGF for his refusal to honour its invitation.

The Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution attached to the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, who represented the AGF, was walked out of the meeting room.

The altercation took place yesterday at the Senate Meeting Room 3 31.3, 3rd Floor, New Senate Building, National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

The Senate had on Tuesday invited Malami to appear before it to explain why he charged to court Senate President Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu for alleged forgery.

Saraki, Ekweremadu and two others were arraigned at a Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday to answer charges of alleged forgery of the 2015 Standing Rule of the Senate.

The upper chamber resolved to invite Malami to explain why he allegedly reopened the alleged forgery case against Saraki and others when a court of competent jurisdiction had struck it out.

The Senate that Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Abuja High Court ruled on the matter affirming that the issue was an internal affair of the Senate.

Before Obono-Obla was asked to leave the room, he told the committee members that they lacked the jurisdiction to summon the AGF because the Senate cannot be a judge in its case.

He also insisted that the AGF, who was not appointed by the Senate, cannot be answerable to the Senate.

Obono-Obla said the Senate was over reaching itself by creating the impression that the AGF committed a crime by charging Saraki and Ekweremadu to court.

He noted that the Senate constituted itself into a court of law by summoning the AGF on an issue that was in court.

He told reporters outside the meeting venue: “The AG has not done anything wrong. The AG has not undermined democracy. He acted pursuant to his powers vested on him by the Constitution, Section 174 (1) says he can prosecute anybody. And he has done that. The Senate is not on trial. He has not taken the Senate to court. He has taken four persons to court. They are not the Senate. Being President of the Senate does not make you the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The matter was investigated by the police and a prima facie case was established and the AG invoked his powers under Section 174 (1) to initiate criminal proceedings against those persons. And this matter is now before a court of law. There is separation of powers in Nigeria. It is not the position of senators to constitute themselves into a court of law.

“He’s (AGF) not answerable to them. By virtue of the principle of Separation of Powers, he is answerable to the President who appointed him. And he has not done anything wrong.

“You cannot be a judge in your own case. We don’t have confidence in the committee.”

Obono-Obla said he was qualified to represent the AGF because he is working in his office as an SA to the President.

The chairman of the committee, Senator David Umaru, said the purpose of the meeting was to interact with the AGF based on Senate’s resolution.

Senator Umaru, who was disappointed by the failure of the AGF to honour the committee’s invitation, said:

“We take it that the AGF did not honour our invitation. This is despite the fact that he requested for time to articulate his own position. We take it that he has not respected the Senate. We will report back to the Senate to take appropriate decision on the issue. We take it that the AGF has refused to honour our invitation. The best we can do is to report back to the Senate.”

Senator Joshua Lidani, a member of the committee, also said the AGF refused to honour the invitation.

Lidani noted that the person who purported to represent the AGF is not the AGF the Senate invited.

He added that the person was also not responsible to the AGF but to the President.

Senator Chukwuka Utazi, another member of the committee, said: “The AGF asked that we should give him time to come. We put him on notice that he is to appear today (yesterday). Today (yesterday) again he has refused to come. This is a slap on the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

BREAKING: Court Rules Sheriff Is Authentic PDP Chairman, Orders INEC To Accept Only His Guber Candidates

Following yesterday's court ruling which sacked the embattled national chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, another Federal High Court in Abuja today has ruled that Sheriff is the authentic PDP Chairman, thereby ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission to only accept the list of Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidates for the forthcoming elections in Edo and Ondo states from the Modu Sheriff-led faction of the party.

Justice Okon Abang, delivering ruling in an interlocutory application filed by two governorship aspirants on the platform of the PDP in Edo and Ondo states, granted an injunction restraining INEC, the PDP and their agents from dealing with or according any facility required by law to any other persons or group than the Sheriff-led National Working Committee of the party.

The plaintiffs in the suit in a PDP governorship aspirant in Ondo State, Chief Benson Akingboye, and one of his counterparts in Edo State, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma.

Justice Abang ruled that his restraining orders against the INEC and the PDP would subsist pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/439/2016, filed by the plaintiffs.

INEC is the 1st defendant while PDP is the second defendant.

The Federal High Court’s restraining order came barely 24 hours after Justice Valentine Ashi of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Apo, Abuja, delivered a judgment sacking all national officers of the party who assumed office on the basis of an illegal amendment of Article 46(7) of the party’s Constitution.

Sheriff, who is in a battle for the control of the party with the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee of the party that was recently set up at a national convention in Port Harcourt, benefitted from the said illegal amendment of the party’s constitution.

Consequently, the former Borno State governor is believed to have been sacked by the Wednesday’s court judgment.

But ruling on the interlocutory application on Thursday, Justice Abang directed INEC and the PDP and their agents to “recognise, deal with and accord all facilities required by law “(regarding the gubernatorial elections to be conducted by INEC in Edo and Ondo states) to the Ali Modu Sheriff, Prof Wale Oladipo and Fatai Adeyanju led NWC”.

Justice Abang further directed INEC and the PDP to “reject and ignore any activity (including primary elections/congresses for the nomination of candidates of the PDP for the gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states, purportedly conducted on behalf of the 2nd defendant (PDP) by any other persons or group of persons other than the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, Prof Wale Oladipo and Fatai Adeyanju led NWC.”

Punch Newspaper