The Nigerian Police Force has given reasons for
inviting the deputy president of the senate, Ike
Ekweremadu, to its headquarters for
questioning.
The police explained on its Facebook page that
it received a petition from a senator who
alleged unauthorized substitution of senate
document.
It said in line with the policy of the police
leadership on evidence gathering, the matter
was referred to the Force CID in Abuja for
investigation.
Following the investigation, 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
the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force
CIID, the statement said.
The meeting, the police said, is expected to
also hold at a time and location convenient for
the parties involved.
The statement said the force has respect of
democratic values, and therefore has no plans
to arrest the deputy senate president.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party had
on Sunday accused the ruling All Progressives
Congress of plotting the arrest of Mr.
Ekweremadu after failing to force him to resign
from his position.
However, following the PDP’s accusation, the
spokesperson for the APC, Lai Mohammed,
issued a statement, saying the party had no
hand in Mr. Ekweremadu’s ordeals.
Mr. Mohammed said the APC neither wrote a
petition to the police nor was it aware that any
petition was written against the deputy senate
president.
Mr. Ekweremadu is expected to appear for
questioning Monday morning at the Force
Headquarters in Abuja.
At Senate plenary on June 24, Kabir Marafa
(APC-Zamfara State) a senator opposed to the
emergence of Bukola Saraki and Mr.
Ekweremadu as President and Deputy
President of the Senate respectively, made an
attempt to question the June 9 elections of
Messrs Saraki and Ekweremadu.
Mr. Marafa, relying on Order 110 and 3 (e) (i),
of the Senate Standing Order, sought to know
which of the Order Books (2011 or 2015) was
used to coordinate the election.
He described the 2011 Senate Standing Order
as “genuine and authentic” thereby countering
the authenticity of the Senate Standing Order
2015.
The elections of Messrs. Saraki and
Ekweremadu were reportedly based on a
revised edition of the Senate rules, version
2015.
“I am still referring to the events of the 9th of
June, 2015, in this chamber. I have two Order
Books and I am running into confusion, and I
think there’s a need for the President to rule,”
Mr. Marafa said.
“Which of the Order Books are we going to use
to coordinate the activities of this Senate?’’ he
asked.
Mr. Marafa insisted that there was a conflict in
the two books as to the procedure that should
be taken for election of presiding officers of
the senate.
He said as a former Senator, he was unaware of
when the 2011 edition of the rules was
amended.
Mr. Saraki however ruled Mr. Marafa out of
order, thereby stopping what appears an
attempt to oust him and Mr. Ekweremadu.
In his explanation that day, Mr. Ekweremadu
said that from 1999 till date, the Senate had
always come up with its own rules.
“There was Senate Rule of 1999, 2003, 2007,
2011 and now 2015,” he said. “The reason is
quite simple.
“If you look at Section 64 of the 1999
Constitution it says that the Senate and House
of Representatives shall each stand dissolved at
the expiration of a period of four years
commencing from the date of the first sitting
of the house.
“So, the implication is that the rule he was
referring to ended with the Senate on the 6th
of June, 2015.”
With the police now investigating the matter, it
does appear Mr. Marafa is not prepared to
allow the matter die yet.

Source:www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/186144-why-we-invited-ike-ekweremadu-others-for-questioning-police.html

hmmmmm

so IG is now the judge recognised by law to interprete constitution. hian

so IG is now the judge recognised by law to interprete constitution. hian

Following

How desperate can people be?


How can you be forging Standing Order, because of your selfish interests? What will these fathers tell their children at home?

Laughable

A serious matter in here. Saraki and Ekweremadu in trouble.

Okay. We dey watch.