You ‘doctored’ Senate standing rules, not me: National Assembly clerk indicts Saraki, others

– The clerk of the National Assembly and his deputy have revealed that they are not part of the alleged ‘doctoring’ of the Senate standing rules

– They told the police that the rules book was handed over to them by the Senate leadership after the latter amended it

– Their statements to the police counter the claim by the Senate through Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi that the rules book was handed over to the legislature by the National Assembly bureaucracy

What could finally bring down the leadership of the Senate may have been revealed by the out-going clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa and the deputy clerk, Ben Efeturi.

Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu

Both have said the controversial standing rules book of the Senate was only handed over to them after it was amended by the leadership of the apex legislative chamber.

According to Daily Trust, Maikasuwa and Efeturi made separate statements to the police where they denied taking part in the alleged forgery.

The statements were attached to the court summons pasted on the notice board of the National Assembly inviting the Senate president, Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu over the allegation.

Saraki and Ekweremadu were officially served with charges of criminal conspiracy and forgery by a Federal Capital Territory high court after their trial for Monday was stalled because they were reportedly not served earlier.

In the hand-written statement by Maikasuwa to the police, he said: “The Senate standing orders used in the seventh senate was not known to me. The clerk of the Senate is in position to know.

“I was not aware of the amendment that was made to the standing rules.”

In his own statement, Efeturi disclosed that the Senate leadership handed the 2015 standing rules book to him after amending it as it is with their convention and practice.

He said: “The Senate leadership handed the 2015 standing rules as amended by their convention and practice.  Standing orders 2003, 2007, and 2011 followed similar practice.”

Their statements to the police counter the claim by the Senate through Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi that the rules book was handed over to the legislature by the bureaucracy of the National Assembly.

READ ALSO: Four men arrested for burgling Saraki’s residence

In that claim, Abdullahi had said: “The rules of a new Senate are provided by the National Assembly bureaucracy.

“It has always been so since 1999. After the inauguration of the Senate, if senators have objections to any part of the rules, they can follow the procedure for changing it.”

The court summon with charge number: CV/219/16 and dated June 21 was signed by DE Kaswe, the principal state counsel of the federal Ministry of Justice and listed the names of the witnesses to include senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi, senator Ita Enang, senator Solomon Ewuga, senator Ahmed Lawan, senator Kabiru Marafa, senator Abu Ibrahim, senator Ojudu Babafemi, deputy inspector-general of police, Dan’Azumi Doma and police investigator, David Igbodo.

The Senate Senate however insists its standing rules book was not doctored as is being alleged.

The post You ‘doctored’ Senate standing rules, not me: National Assembly clerk indicts Saraki, others appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Nigerian newspapers.

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