Court
orders substituted service on Saraki, Ekweremadu
An Abuja
High Court judge on Tuesday, June 21, ordered that the Senate President, Bukola
Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and two others be served court papers for
immediate arraignment through substituted means.
The Senate President, his deputy,
the chief clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasu, and his deputy,
Benedict Efeturi have been accused of conspiracy and forgery of Senate Standing
Rules.
Justice Halilu Yusuf in his order
said the notice of summon for Saraki and three others be pasted on the notice
board of the National Assembly complex.
Yusuf also fixed arraignment of the
lawmakers for Monday, June 27. The Senate President, his deputy, the chief
clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasu, and his deputy, Benedict
Efeturi have been accused of conspiracy and forgery of Senate Standing Rules.
The allegation came through a petition to the inspector general of police
calling for an investigation into the allegation of the forgery of the Senate
rules by the secretary to the anti-Saraki Unity Forum, Suleiman Hunkuyi.
The petition alleged that the
forgery of the Senate standing rules facilitated the production of Saraki and
Ekweremadu as Senate president and deputy last year. The four accused persons
were expected to be arraigned on Monday but Naij.com gathered that they were
yet to be served the motion of summon yet. However, the senate leadership has
also said the suit instituted by the federal government is bent on returning
impunity to the Nigerian polity. Spokesperson to the Senate Aliyu Sabi had in a
statement said: “This is a return to the era of impunity and lack of respect
for due process.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) has reacted to the arraignment of Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu
and described it as tyrannical. General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar
Malami. The PDP said the charges against the principal officers of the Senate
will destroy the country’s democracy.
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