₦airaland Forum

A group of senators of the All Progressives Congress, under the aegis of Unity Forum, have risen against the decision of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde, over alleged diversion of N1 trillion recovered by the commission.

The APC senators echoed the position of the Peoples Democratic Party caucus in the Senate, which dissociated its members from the probe on Monday, calling on the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to shelve the investigation.

But in a statement jointly signed by Senators Ahmed Lawan, George Akume, Abu Ibrahim and Barnabas Gemade, the APC senators said on Wednesday that for a petition to be discussed in the Senate or House of Representatives, it must be channelled through a member of the House of Representatives or a senator.

“In standard parliamentary practice, a petition is routed through either a senator or member of the House of Representatives. Upon receipt of such petition, the representative will inform the presiding officer of the chamber and, thereafter, present the petition in the plenary.

“Thereafter the presiding officer will refer the matter to the appropriate committee upon which it will be returned to the Senate in plenary,” said the senators.
Quoting Rule 41 (1-3) of the Senate Standing Order, the senators explained how petitions are handled in parliament, saying “a senator presenting a petition shall confine himself to a brief statement of the parties from whom it came, the number of signatures attached to it and the material allegations contained in it and to reading the prayers of such petitions.

“All petitions shall be, without question being put, ordered to lie upon the table. Such petitions shall be referred to the Public Petitions Committee.”
The APC senators further stated that none of the foregoing rules was followed in handling the petition against the EFCC, and that they only read in the newspapers that the Senator Samuel Anywanu-led Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions would commence a probe of the EFCC chairman.

At the commencement of the probe on Wednesday, a representative of the EFCC, a witness told PREMIUM TIMES, said the commission had no confidence in the Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee of the Senate, saying the committee lacked objectivity and that it was unlikely that it would get a fair hearing.

The commission said a delegation sent to observe the proceedings was walked out by the members of the committee on the pretext that the commission had earlier written that it would not be present at the hearing.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the petitioner, George Ugbo, was midway into his presentation when EFCC’s Director of Legal and Prosecution, Chile Okoroma, arrived, raising objection that it was not in the tradition of the senate to conduct hearing with only one party present.

Responding on behalf of the committee, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Information, Dino Melaye, reportedly said the committee was at liberty to adopt any procedure it considers suitable, claiming that the EFCC was not expected at the hearing, having written to be excused.

The Senate committee however proceeded to read the letter from the EFCC, where the commission asked for another date to be present at the hearing but omitted the portion where the commission disclosed that the petitioner is an accused under prosecution by the commission on fraud charges.
Mr. Okoroma insisted that it amounted to lack of fair hearing for the proceedings to continue in the absence of the EFCC, while also observing that the documents presented to the committee by the petitioner were not made available to the commission.

In the light of the foregoing, the EFCC representative noted that the narration by Mr. Uboh only contained reference to the EFCC and not Mr. Lamorde even though the hearing was advertised as a probe of Mr. Lamorde.

PREMIUM TIMES however learnt that Mr. Uboh, who allegedly converted properties belonging to the Police Equipment Fund, is standing trial before Justice J, Aladetoyinbo of the FCT High Court on three counts of fraud (FRN v George Uboh CR/12/09).

The senate investigation, following a petition, has fuelled speculations that the lawmakers might be seeking ways of getting back at the anti-graft agency.

Coming in the wake of the commission’s probe of Toyin Saraki, the wife of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, over allegations of fraud committed when her husband was governor of Kwara State, the anti-graft agency has questioned the motive and procedure of the planned Senate probe.
But in a statement Tuesday, the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, denied ulterior motive behind the senate’s decision to invite the chairman of EFCC, saying the anti-graft commission is not the only government agency facing a Senate probe.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/189050-apc-pdp-senators-team-up-against-saraki-say-efcc-probe-breaches-senate-rules.html

Hehehehehehehehehehe

"change" indeed. So they don't want probe again?...I pity that word "probe", It has been bastardized by Buhari and his loyal minions.

This news doesn't even make sense.

*waiting for change*

Na so dem go dabaru Everytin nw.
Shebi na when efcc settle dem go get time continue case wife him wife.
I sha knw dere are some Nigerians that really understand the meaning of dese whole stunts.
We are observing.....

Ok

Saraki neva sabi anything! There is always an extent to which sycophancy can go. This is how they will team up against him when the time is right for impeachment

Eerrm, but wait o! which body is there to check the excesses of the crime agencies?

The same PDP senators that voted him? Lol

ladyF:
The same PDP senators that voted him? Lol

It is called Politics.

Lies from pit of he'll.

But wait oh,why is that anytime Saraki throws punch,person must surely fall.

First national punch was given to T.hiefunibu and it end his political career .
Now he has extended the punch to EFCC chairman, that was his last as EFCC chairman


Saraki the slayer of godfatherism in APC. Ride on

Must you include PDP senators? You really tried in making your lies getting attention..


Unity Forum said, not PDP senators!

ellabooz:
Lies from pit of he'll.

But wait oh,why is that anytime Saraki throws punch,person must surely fall.

First national punch was given to T.hiefunibu and it end his political career .
Now he has extended the punch to EFCC chairman, that was his last as EFCC chairman


Saraki the slayer of godfatherism in APC. Ride on

Premium time. Ok

Iie

I read the Stuff 3 times And Couldn't find out where PDP Senators got Involved... Is it not even a PDP Senator who is heading the Senate Committee Probing Lamorde??

This Tinubu's Media Department won't stop pleasing his fans

alfred5:
Must you include PDP senators? You really tried in making your lies getting attention..


Unity Forum said, not PDP senators!

The so called unity forum are just wasting their time and seeking attension. The earlier they stop acting opposition in the senate, the better for them. What are they afraid of if Larmode is innocent

Until the PDP senators names mentioned, it is still Lie lierer lierest!!

SeverusSnape:
Hehehehehehehehehehe

"change" indeed. So they don't want probe again?...I pity that word "probe", It has been bastardized by Buhari and his loyal minions.

This news doesn't even make sense.

*waiting for change*

Did you read the story through at all.
Read again... And pay attention to this parts

“In standard parliamentary practice, a petition
is routed through either a senator or member of
the House of Representatives. Upon receipt of such
petition, the representative will inform the
presiding officer of the chamber and, thereafter,
present the petition in the plenary.
“Thereafter the presiding officer will refer the
matter to the appropriate committee upon which it
will be returned to the Senate in plenary,” said
the senators.
Quoting Rule 41 (1-3) of the Senate Standing
Order, the senators explained how petitions are
handled in parliament, saying “a senator
presenting a petition shall confine himself to a
brief statement of the parties from whom it came,
the number of signatures attached to it and the
material allegations contained in it and to
reading the prayers of such petitions.
“All petitions shall be, without question being put,
ordered to lie upon the table. Such petitions shall
be referred to the Public Petitions Committee.”
The APC senators further stated that none of the
foregoing rules was followed in handling the
petition against the EFCC, and that they only
read in the newspapers that the Senator Samuel
Anywanu-led Committee on Ethics, Privileges and
Public Petitions would commence a probe of the
EFCC chairman.

The Senate committee however proceeded to read
the letter from the EFCC, where the commission
asked for another date to be present at the
hearing but omitted the portion where the
commission disclosed that the petitioner is an
accused under prosecution by the commission on
fraud charges.



PREMIUM TIMES however learnt that Mr. Uboh,
who allegedly converted properties belonging to
the Police Equipment Fund, is standing trial
before Justice J, Aladetoyinbo of the FCT High
Court on three counts of fraud (FRN v George
Uboh CR/12/09).

Lamorde is a well known Tinubu man. I trust Saraki to do the needful.

Story for the gods, in Nigerian politics nothing is actually what it seems.

Little wonder why he struggled to be senate president at all cost

Good move.

Saraki thinks he can run Senate the way he run the politics of kwara.
One day those solidly behind you will run cos they are sycophants

ellabooz:
Lies from pit of he'll.

But wait oh,why is that anytime Saraki throws punch,person must surely fall.

First national punch was given to T.hiefunibu and it end his political career .
Now he has extended the punch to EFCC chairman, that was his last as EFCC chairman


Saraki the slayer of godfatherism in APC. Ride on

Political career of Tinubu end ? Then you must be a dreamer, Saraki influence start and ends in Kwara and all his political prostitute followers while Tinubu cost across the nation. If Saraki think he can do it alone then he should not have team up feedeefee

frankyychiji:
Lamorde is a well known Tinubu man. I trust Saraki to do the needful.

Lamorde is now Tinubu man ? You got me laughing, are you trying to me/us that Lamorde respect Tinubu far more than GEJ when he was the president, no wonder EFCC was idleness during GEJ tenure.

fake news from premium times

Dridowu, if you don't know and has not been told of the unusual closeness between Tinubu and Larmode, then it is your fault. Don't come to display or feign ignorance here. Those who live in class house don't throw stones but Larmode threw the first stone when he started harassing Mrs Saraki in a manner Nigerians felt was politically motivated.
Larmode must explain how he and Timpre Silver spent the Alamesiah loot.