SENATE FILED CONSTITUTIONAL SUIT ON ONNOGHEN AT SUPREME COURT

[Salimonu Kadiri]

​The Senate was reconvened for emergency meeting on 29 January 2019 to discuss the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Samuel Onnoghen by the President, Mohammadu Buhari, following the order issued by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). Suddenly, on 28 January 2019, the spokesperson for Bukola Saraki, the President of the Senate, announced that the emergency meeting of the Senate had been cancelled. It was said that the Senate had filed a case at the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional right of the President to remove Chief Justice Onnoghen without the input of the Senate and demanding that the Supreme Court should re-instate the Chief Justice immediately. On the same day, the APC Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan in a public statement said, "For the records, the Senate never met to take such resolution and at no time mandated anyone to approach the Supreme Court on this matter on its behalf. Consequently, the Senate APC Caucus dissociates itself from the said request for the legal interpretation of the suspension." With the statements of Senator Ahmed Lawan, it is very clear that there was no resolution by the Senate to file a case at Supreme Court to challenge the action of Buhari over the suspension of Chief Justice Onnoghen. That means, Bukola Saraki is fraudulently presenting his personal action as that of the entire Senate which consists majority APC, the same political party Buhari belongs.

​Bukola Saraki was elected a Senator in the current Senate on the platform of APC before he crossed over to the PDP in August last year in violation of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended. Section 68 (1) (g) states unambiguously, "A member of the senate or the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if being a person whose election to the House  was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected."

Should the Supreme Court find any reason to believe that Bukola Saraki, as the President of the Senate, is authorized to file legal suit on behalf of the Senate without a resolution of the House, the Supreme Court will be acting responsibly by first determining if Bukola Saraki is a legitimate member of the Senate by virtue of Section 68 (1) (g) of the Constitution of Nigeria. Since it is a Constitutional case, Supreme Court does not need to await decisions from the lower Courts in cases which were filed for the removal of Bukola Saraki from the Senate after crossing carpet from APC to PDP but which are yet to be listed for hearings as of date. The Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Onnoghen discharged and acquitted Bukola Saraki of false declaration of assets last year and he is now paying back his saviour.

We all remember Offa  bank robberies when 33 people were killed. The robbers were eventually arrested and it turned out that one of the vehicles used for the robberies was recovered in the compound of Kwara State Ministry of Environment and most of the robbers were on monthly salaries from both Senate President's Office and Kwara State government. Soon after the Bank robberies, Senator Bukola Saraki paid a condolence visit to  Olofa of Offa accompanied by four of the robber gang. The Police stumbled over information that besides robbery, the gangs were political thugs of Senator Bukola Saraki and their operations were not limited to Kwara but extended to Kogi State. In view of the information at the disposal of the police, it extended invitation To Bukola Saraki for questioning about his acquaintance with the robbers. Instead of acceding to the police request Bukola Saraki purchased a court order prohibiting the police from arresting and questioning him. The order was issued by Justice M.A. Nasir of the Federal Territory High Court, Abuja, on 9 August 2018. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/279488-offa-robbery-court-issues-order-stopping-police-from-arresting-questioning-saraki.html       

Offa Robbery: Court issues order stopping police from arresting A Federal Capital Territory High Court has ordered the suspension of investigation into the alleged involvement of Senate President Bukola Saraki in the Offa Bank robbery, pending further hearing ... www.premiumtimesng.com

​That is how the ruin of law works in Nigeria because it is law of crooks by the crooks and for the crooks.

​S. Kadiri

[Christian Chukwuma Opata]

Hello,
I have no doubt that you are an academic. If I am right, I plead that
you moderate your language. You are making good points but your
language needs to be moderated. Anger is manifest.

> [https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2018/07/Bukola-Saraki-696x374.jpg?fit=696%2C374&ssl=1]<https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/279488-offa-robbery-court-issues-order-stopping-police-from-arresting-questioning-saraki.html>

>
> Offa Robbery: Court issues order stopping police from

> arresting<https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/279488-offa-robbery-court-issues-order-stopping-police-from-arresting-questioning-saraki.html>

> A Federal Capital Territory High Court has ordered the suspension of
> investigation into the alleged involvement of Senate President Bukola Saraki
> in the Offa Bank robbery, pending further hearing ...
> www.premiumtimesng.com
>
> ​That is how the ruin of law works in Nigeria because it is law of crooks by
> the crooks and for the crooks.
> ​S. Kadiri
>

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--
Dr Christian Chukwuma Opata,
Department of History and International Studies,
Room 205, Block B,
Faculty of Arts Twin Complex,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

[Okey Iheduru]

"... I have no doubt you are an academic..." What academic? Haba!

[Salimonu Kadiri]

​Hello Christian,

​Kindly, in Christ's name, educate me on what academic language should be used while discussing a Chief law officer in Nigeria who has criminally avoided declaring his assets as required by the law for the purpose of hiding his unexplained wealth.

​S. Kadiri

---

Från: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> för Christian Chukwuma Opata <opa...@gmail.com>
Skickat: den 30 januari 2019 07:48
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Ämne: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - SENATE FILED CONSTITUTIONAL SUIT ON ONNOGHEN AT SUPREME COURT

 

[Salimonu Kadiri]

​Okey Iheduru, may Chineke save us from the bane of academic lycanthropes.

​S. Kadiri

---

Från: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> för Okey Iheduru <okeyi...@gmail.com>
Skickat: den 30 januari 2019 14:52
Till: USAAfrica Dialogue

Ämne: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - SENATE FILED CONSTITUTIONAL SUIT ON ONNOGHEN AT SUPREME COURT