The Federal Government has formally charged the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, with forging the 2015 Senate Standing Rules used in electing them to office.
The suit against the two presiding officers of the Senate, which flow from last year’s Senate leadership election, is coming more than a year after police investigations into the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules 2015.
The immediate former Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa and his deputy, Mr. Bennedict Efeturi, are also charged with the two presiding officers.
An invitation letter dated June 6, 2016, said to have been written to the two men was as at yesterday yet to be delivered, Ekweremadu, his special adviser on media, Uche Anichukwu said yesterday.
It was further gathered that the suit borders on a two-count charge of “Criminal Conspiracy, contrary to Section 97 of the Penal Code Law” and “Forgery contrary to 362 of the Penal Code Law,” against Saraki, Ekweremadu and others.
The case, with reference number, CR/219/16, was filed on June 10, 2015 at the Federal High
Count one reads, “That you Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, Benedict Efeturi, Dr. Olubukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu on or about the 9th of June, 2015, at the National Assembly Complex, Three Arm Zone, Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves, to forge the Senate Standing Order, 2011 (as amended) and you thereby committed the offence of Conspiracy, punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Law.”
Count Two reads, “That you Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, Benedict Efeturi, Dr. Olubukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu on or about the 9th of June, 2015, at the National Assembly Complex, Three Arm Zone, Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with fraudulent intent forged the Senate Standing Order 2011 (as amended) causing it to be believed as the genuine Standing Order, 2015 and circulated same for use during the inauguration of the 8th Senate of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, when you knew that the said Order was not made in compliance the procedure for amendment of the Senate Order, you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Law.”