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National Assembly panel summons Omo-Agege, Ndume over mace theft saga

By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh and George Opara, Abuja
16 May 2018   |   3:35 am
The National Assembly joint committee set up to investigate the April 18, 2018, invasion of Senate chamber has invited former Senate leader, Ali Ndume, as well as embattled Senator Ovie Omo-Agege to explain their alleged roles. They are to answer questions on allegations of aiding the invaders who forced their way into the chamber and…


The National Assembly joint committee set up to investigate the April 18, 2018, invasion of Senate chamber has invited former Senate leader, Ali Ndume, as well as embattled Senator Ovie Omo-Agege to explain their alleged roles.

They are to answer questions on allegations of aiding the invaders who forced their way into the chamber and seized the Senate mace.

The chairman of the committee and Deputy Majority of the Senate, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, issued the summon at the committee meeting in Abuja yesterday.

The invitation was sequel to testimonies from heads of different security agencies within the National Assembly alleging that Omo-Agege led seven unauthorised personnel into the red chamber and disrupted plenary.

It was also alleged that Ndume prevented Sergeant at arms who keeps the Mace, from taking it away to safety.

And despite his avowed declarations to resume at Senate plenary yesterday, Omo-Agege was conspicuously absent.

The embattled lawmaker on suspension, representing Delta central senatorial district, had premised his resumption on the recent high court judgment that vacated the suspension slammed on him by the hallowed chamber.

But the Abuja High Court, it was learnt, voided the suspension on the ground that the petitioner alleged it was based on the legal action he instituted against the senate ahead of its investigation committee.

This is, however, not in consideration of whether or not the senate has the right to discipline any of its erring member in the subsisting circumstance.

However, Omo-Agege’s inability to resume as promised may not be unconnected with the pending determination of the application by the upper chamber for stay of execution of the judgement delivered in favour of the lawmaker.

Also, the awaited findings of the expanded Senate and House of Representatives investigation committee set up to unravel the circumstances that led to the invasion of the National Assembly and snatching of the senate mace by thugs may not be favourable to Omo-Agege.

Yet, some lawmakers who spoke on conditions of anonymity said, “By and large, the embattled lawmaker may not escape the looming hammer of the National Assembly.”

Meanwhile, in a bid to facilitate the reform of business sector in Nigeria, Senate yesterday passed the Companies and Allied Matters Act amendment Bill (CAMA), which it said is the biggest business reform bill in Nigeria in over 28 years.

The Bill, according to the Senate heralded a new dawn for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) development in Nigeria.

The Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, stated that CAMA was a significant milestone in the 8th Senate’s legislative agenda.

The new Bill, once signed into law, will help to make Nigeria’s business environment as competitive as its counterparts around the world; allow business owners to register their businesses in a faster and more efficient way, using technology; removes all the unnecessary regulatory provisions, such as the requirement for ‘annual general meetings’ and ‘company secretaries’; and reduces the minimum share capital for all companies and start-ups in Nigeria ,which will encourage more investments and create new jobs.

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