The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, and others accused of forgery of the Standing Rule of the Senate 2015, are to be arraigned before a Federal Capital Territory High Court on Tuesday (today) barring any last-minute change of plans.

Officials of the Ministry of Justice told one of our correspondents that they had got notice that the arraignment would take place on Tuesday even when reminded that Saraki would be appearing before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for his ongoing trial on the same day.

“I can only tell you about the case I’m involved in. I don’t know about the CCT trial. But I can tell you that we have tomorrow (Tuesday) as the date of arraignment in respect of the forgery case,” a top ministry official told The PUNCH.

It was learnt that the case was assigned to Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Jabi Division of the FCT High Court last Friday.

Uncertainty, however, appears to be trailing the planned arraignment as court officials, where Saraki, Ekweremadu and others are expected to appear, said on Monday that the accused persons had not been formally served with the charges preferred against them by the Federal Government.

Officials of the High Court of the FCT in Jabi, Abuja, where the accused persons are to be arraigned, confirmed to one of our correspondents on Monday morning that they had not been served.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak on the case, said they were preparing to serve the accused persons later on Monday.

“We have not served the charges on the accused persons, but we will serve them before the end of today (Monday),” one of the sources said.

Though other sources in the Federal Ministry of Justice told The PUNCH that the court had given Tuesday as the date for the arraignment, the court officials said they could not confirm the information.

Also, Saraki and Ekweremadu, on Monday, said they had yet to be served the court process concerning the suit instituted against them by the Federal Government.

Saraki, who spoke through his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said, “Up till now, we have not been served.”

Also, Ekweremadu, who equally spoke through his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Uche Anichukwu, said, “We have not received any court papers.”

Saraki, Ekweremadu, a former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and his then deputy, Benedict Efeturi, were on June 10, charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy and forgery of the Standing Rules used for the leadership election of the presiding officers of the Senate in June, 2015.

The Federal Government stated that the offence of conspiracy was 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.

It was alleged that the 2011 version of the Senate Orders was secretly altered by some individuals to produce the 2015 edition.

It was alleged that Rules 3 (3) (e) and (k) in the 2015 edition of the orders were not amended in accordance with the provisions of Rule 110 (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) of the 2011 Orders.

While the 2011 Order Rule 3 (3) (e) provides for manual voting and open ballot in the election of the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President, the 2015 Orders allow electronic and secret ballot voting in the said elections.

Also, while Rule 3 (3) (k) of the 2011 Order makes it mandatory for all members to participate in the process of electing the Senate President and Deputy Senate President, the reverse is the case in the 2015 Orders.

The 2011 Orders, Rule 3 (3) (k) reads, “All Senators-elect shall participate in the nomination and voting for President and Deputy President of the Senate.”

But a similar provision in Rule 3 (3) (i) in the 2015 Orders reads, “All Senator-elect are entitled to participate in the voting for Senate President and Deputy Senate President.”

Meanwhile, the Code of Conduct Tribunal had, on June 15, adjourned the trial of Saraki till June 21 (Tuesday).

Both the FCT High Court, where Saraki and others will be appearing for the forgery case, and the CCT, where the Senate President is already undergoing trial, share a boundary in the Jabi area of Abuja.

The CCT had adjourned for hearing a fresh motion filed by Saraki, seeking an order to disqualify the CCT 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 the alleged 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.

We don’t dabble into legal matters –APC

Meanwhile, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress has absolved itself of complicity in the travails of the Senate leadership over an alleged forgery of Senate Rules.

The party said it was not part of its functions to interfere with court issues especially a matter it had not investigated.

The National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said this in an interview with reporters in Abuja on Monday

He was reacting to allegations by the Senate that the executive was working with the party leadership to put Saraki and Ekweremadu on trial over the alleged forgery of Senate rules, which were used for their election in June, 2015.

Odigie-Oyegun said, “At this stage, l don’t think there is anything to say. In fact, everything is still guesswork. Nobody has said they have been arrested or asked to make statement or whatever.

“As a party, we do not think it is part of party business to interfere in judicial matters of that nature. We will just wait and see as we are even making investigations to be sure that is the situation.”

In response to the Senate allegation that the party leadership wanted the Senate leadership sacked, the party chairman said, “No, no, no. I don’t know; this is the kind of problem that the press always causes. You are now taking the sensational aspect. You are forgetting the nitty-gritty. Did what they say happened really happened? That is what you should look at.

“Take the two copies (the new copy and the old copy) of the Senate Rules and see if there is a difference. If there is a difference, at what formal meeting was it approved and adopted?

“You should start from this so that when you are commenting, it would not be sensational; it would be based on fact and reality. You see, we have to change the way we do things in this country. We have to start telling people what is right and what is wrong and to choose what is right as against what is wrong.”

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http://punchng.com/forgery-uncertainty-saraki-deputys-arraignment-today/

The most painful thing of all is that, this shi..t is taking too long, can we just do the needful oursleves and stone this criminals to coma? Jungle justice is the best for this set of criminals. Our judicial system is just some bullshiiiiiit!

And death overlooked these wicked thieves but took the lives of Keshi and other patriots life is indeed unfair

They should just step down and the witch-hunt will stop. The Senate iss really fighting for corruption instead of against corruption thts why Nigeria isn't moving. I pray they find them guilty. They think they're above the law. Let's just chill for the judiciary.

When will Aisha buhari, Amaechi and Fashola be probed

BlackSeptember:
When will Aisha buhari, Amaechi and Fashola be probed

When u receive sense

Jay542:
They should just step down and the witch-hunt will stop. The Senate iss really fighting for corruption instead of against corruption thts why Nigeria isn't moving. I pray they find them guilty. They think they're above the law. Let's just chill for the judiciary.

what is this one saying biko

Space Booooo

Saraki is a potential gunner.

Those in support, do like this \0/' and say hai

searchiing4love:



When u receive sense

trolls are not worthy of my reply

Politicians palava

BlackSeptember:
When will Aisha buhari, Amaechi and Fashola be probed

that my question oo

Curios to know how the forgery allegation scandal will unfold in the coming days ahead.

Saraki has no intergrity whatsoever, by now with all this evidence against him, he ought to have resigned but he decide not to because of his love of power ( not love of people)

I really hope this man will be eventually disgraced by being ejected out of senate.

How will a corrupt man makes law for the nation? this shows how backward we are in nigeria @#sarakimustgo!

Saraki oleeeee

Ekeremadu oleeee

Forgery...
Am waiting for Baba BUBU certificate

please also check their Bsc Certificates. this guys r forgers... thats why the need immunity and Life pensions. comparing themselvs with presidents and Govs... thieves.

The senate is not the reason our economy is in shambles. Someonr plz call buhari the daft to order

Briz:
Space Booooo

Saraki is a potential gunner.

Those in support, do like this \0/' and say hai

Say cheeeseee

BlackSeptember:
what is this one saying biko

What he said is true what are you saying ?

Pls my fellow nairalanders, I have been carrying out a research for a couple of weeks now and it seems the ibo tribe has the least amount of crimes attributed to them. Take a look at this story and see how many northerners and westerners and easteners. Northerners dominate crime nowadays.

You mean the certificateless Bubu? what's good for the goose is also good for the gander. Saraki forged so also Bubu. If kuje prison is good for Saraki, Kirikiri prison is also good for Bubu.
simple logic!
I say Bubu but if you say buhari na you sabi

ohk.... Let's the drama starts again.. another day another Level..

Some people just preferred to pursue illegalities rather than doing it in the right way.

Well, let's wait & see how it will unfold.

God bless Nigeria.

This useless arraignment is uneccessary to say the least! What is the masses going to benefit from all this? nonsense!!!

gbam

Long over due

But seriously? Forgery?

They even had to forge their way in.
What good then can one expect from them

Corruption!!

Gbese

What of Buharis certificate?