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Forgery case: Malami has a lot to explain, says Senate

The Senate has stated that it has been vindicated by the Thursday ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Gabriel Kolawole which described the forgery case filed against its presiding officers as an abuse of court process and a decision taken against public interest.
Members of the Nigerian Senate PHOTO: TWITTER/ NIGERIAN SENATE

Members of the Nigerian Senate PHOTO: TWITTER/ NIGERIAN SENATE

The Senate has stated that it has been vindicated by the Thursday ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Gabriel Kolawole which described the forgery case filed against its presiding officers as an abuse of court process and a decision taken against public interest.

In a statement signed by its spokesman on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the Senate said the ruling by Justice Kolawole further confirmed that Mr. Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) was acting personal and partisan script in filing the charges while simply abusing his position as the nation’s chief law officer.

The Senate also called on Malami to address the issue of his personal and pecuniary interest in the case as he was a counsel to the aggrieved Senators who decided to externalise the issue of election of the leadership of the upper chamber of the National Assembly after they failed in their bid to get their preferred candidate elected.

It noted that as it has now become obvious from the ruling of Justice Kolawole and in the facts of the matter before the Federal High Court, Malami was the one who advised his clients to report the matter to the Police and now that he has become AGF, he decided to use his constitutional powers to pursue private interest by filing a criminal case in the FCT High Court against the subsisting ruling of a court of co-ordinate jurisdiction.

“When the Senate invited the AGF to come and throw light on the forgery case, it was not to challenge his right to file, take over or discontinue any criminal case but for him to explain the issues of conflict of interest, abuse of office, disrespect of a subsisting order of a court and violation of the principle of Separation of Powers which are being raised against him.

“When his supporters jumped up and started abusing the Senate over the invitation, we know our position that an Attorney General, and indeed any public officer for whose office public funds are appropriated can be invited by the Senate and the House of Representatives to explain certain issues, is on firm, constitutional ground. And that is in spite of the fact that the AGF is responsible to the President who appointed him. Now, the revelations from the ruling of the court of competent jurisdiction have shown that this AGF has a lot to explain to the public, if not to his appointor.

“It says a lot about an AGF who despite being aware that the court had ordered him and the Inspector of General of Police not to take any further action on the matter during the pendency of the civil suit still went ahead to initiate the criminal case on the Police report which is the subject of the civil case. The judge rightly described Malami’s action as “desperate haste that was not in public interest”.

“It should be noted that Malami’s name is still on the list of lawyers defending Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi and others in the Federal High court. We invite all Nigerians, including those shouting over whether it was right for Senate to invite the AGF or not, to read the ruling of Justice Kolawole and conclude whether Malami is still fit to be AGF in a government which canvasses change and rule of law.

“Our position as a law-making chamber is that the Office of AGF is a sensitive and strategic one being the only other office in the executive arm apart from that of President and Vice President to which the constitution specifically assigns some roles and powers. It must, therefore, be occupied by a sober, law-abiding, brilliant, mature, broad-minded and less partisan lawyer.

“Mr. Malami is yet to convince us with his handling of this case that he possesses these attributes. We call on him to respect the ruling of the court and to redeem the integrity of his office and admit his error by invoking his power under Section 174 (1) as noted in the ruling of the honourable judge.

“In conclusion, the Senate is calling on all parties, Mr. Malami, the Attorney General inclusive, to heed the wise, timely and apt advice of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that “it is time to move on”. Truly, Nigeria needs our collective energy to address the various challenges – notably increasing poverty, hunger, youth unemployment, general insecurity and kidnapping, among others – which are time bombs that we can only ignore at our own collective peril”, the Senate stated.

10 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    Surely, it is time to move on indeed.

  • Author’s gravatar

    There is one advice to these senators; go to court and clear your names and stop being stupid! is the AGF also in charge of the judges? this is terribly an absurd set of people!

    • Author’s gravatar

      Brother, have you bothered to actually read and understand the contents of the above article? Or you just want to add any blind comments that comes into your head? Perhaps you should re-enroll yourself into a school and study English properly! Sorry, in a Nation where there are so many unemployed, the devil has just too many workshops!!!

      • Author’s gravatar

        You ended up not saying anything! Where there is confusion between the Legislature and the executive, the court is there to arbitrate; so, why the fear to go to court? A lot of you uninformed people just jump into the fray just to pollute an already fouled situation! let the courts determine and stop being sentimental, will you?

        • Author’s gravatar

          My brother, in a society, where only one side has the correct answers and solutions to all the nation’s problems, don’t you you think that society is doomed to fail? Have you no good conscience, to condemn what is currently going on in that West African country? What manner of evil-spell has this present govt. of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari rtd. or “PMB” (as he is usually called these days on these platforms) cast on your reasoning intellects – including a few others?

          • Author’s gravatar

            Assuming a spell was cast on us, it should be seen as part of change which is a constant in life! However, except your relative is one of these thieves being caught, and even if, you do not have the right conscience to castigate anyone who is celebrating the reparation of our stolen monies! Any thief that is not caught now should be reserved for the opposition to catch when roles are reversed, or, don’t you believe they will ever come to power again?

          • Author’s gravatar

            Brother non of my relative is a thief nor corrupt! We are not politicians, nor civil servants. We work hard for our money and as God’s children, we even help the helpless IDPs in Nigeria. But referring to your “change” campaign, lets agree here, that the roles must change sometime in this future. The Nigerian people will decide when they also have enough of the current regime and it’s propaganda troops. Let no one then cry foul, because detaining fellow Nigerians and denying him or her of his or her constitutional fundamental human rights, while investigating him or her for alledged corruption has come to stay in Nigeria. And it will be carried on forever by others, who also come to power. Agreed, the people must decide and must surely change power in the spirit of democracy!

          • Author’s gravatar

            You see! You keep getting this thing wrong! For the sake of Nigeria, we want what is happening now to continue because it will pay the poor Nigerian masses; we don’t ever wish the politicians on the different divide to unite! It hurts us Nigerians more when they are in unity! As for you and your family being hard working, nothing can be better for you than that! So, keep it up!
            We will also celebrate it when the opposing party gets into power and starts catching real thieves of today’s ruling party! It’s all good bro!

          • Author’s gravatar

            Well brother, since you also care about the poor Nigerian masses, maybe you are right in your own way! Let it be; lets agree that every Nigerian politician is the poor man’s enemy!!

          • Author’s gravatar

            That is the truth, the only truth and nothing but the truth!