Forgery of Rules: Senate gives AGF last chance to appear before it

The Senate on Tuesday gave the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, the last opportunity to appear before it over alleged forgery of 2015 Standing Orders.
Malami is expected to appear before members of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
The summon followed a motion by the Chairman of the committee, Senator David Umaru, at plenary.
The Red Chamber had on June 21 invited Malami to come and give reasons for reopening the alleged forgery case against its principal officers after it was struck out by the court.
Presenting the motion, Umaru said the Justice Minister failed to appear before the committee on two occasions in spite of being sent formal letters.
According to him, it is expedient to inform the Senate of the failure of the AGF to honour the Senate’s summon in spite of its powers to invite office holders to answer to questions over issues of concern.
He said: “On June 21, the chamber resolved on a matter of urgent public importance, which has imminent threat to Nigeria, following a motion sponsored by Senator Dino Melaye.
“The resolution of the Senate was for the Committee on Judiciary to invite him to explain the reasons behind the attempt to press charges against principal officers of this hallowed chamber.
“In line with the directive, we invited him on the 23rd of June.
“He did not appear, but a letter was received that he needed more time to articulate his position and that he was out of the country.
“We obliged him and rescheduled another meeting for the 30th of June.
“On that day, he still did not appear, but somebody who claimed to be Mr. Obla appeared to say he was appearing on behalf of the minister.
“We told him he was not an invitee and he was asked to leave.”
Umaru, however, implored the Senate to give the minister another opportunity, saying that he had pleaded for another opportunity to appear before the committee.
He said the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, had communicated to him over the AGF’s regret for failing to respond to the invitation.
The motion was unanimously adopted by the legislators.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said the Senate would give Malami a final opportunity to answer to his alleged role in the forgery case.
Saraki added that failure to honour the invitation would force the Senate to invoke constitutional provisions on such issues.
He said: “We have all heard him.
“It appears that he is requesting for more time and I think that we should do that.
“Otherwise we will follow the Constitution strictly.”