Babachir Lawal, secretary to the government of the federation
In a statement released on Wednesday in reaction to the statement of
Ike Ekweremadu that President Buhari was exhibiting dictatorial
tendencies, the secretary to the government of the federation, Babachir
Lawal, said the senate is not on trial for forgery but that only the
actors in the alleged act - Bukola Saraki, the senate president, and Ike
Ekweremadu, his deputy - are.
The SGF described the lawmaker's statements as unfortunate, stating
that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government was not
deciding the trial of the duo are being tried before an Abuja high court
for allegedly forging the senate standing order, 2015.
Below is the statement in full;
“Since the arraignment of the president of the senate, Senator
Bukola Saraki and, his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu before the federal
high court on Monday, June 27, 2016, the two leaders of the senate,
have issued two separate press statements conveying messages that are
far from being complementary to the person and government of President
Muhammadu Buhari.
“Senator Saraki in his statement clearly insinuated that Mr
President is not in control of his administration and that a cabal now
runs the federal administration. On the part of Senator Ekweremadu, he
insists that President Buhari is exhibiting dictatorial tendencies that
can derail our democracy.
“From their statements, the two leaders of the senate also gave
this erroneous impression that by their arraignment, it is the entire
senate and indeed, the legislative arm of government that is on trial.
They want the public to believe that their prosecution is utter
disregard by the executive arm of government for the constitutional
provisions of separation of powers and that preferring the forgery case
against them is a vendetta exercise.
“Since this case is in court, the judiciary should be allowed
to do its job. However, it is important to emphasise that this case
involves only the four accused persons and should not be presented to
the unsuspecting public as involving the entire senate of the federal
republic of Nigeria.
“The complaint leading to the forgery investigation was
reported to the police by some aggrieved senators who specifically
accused certain persons. It is not the senate of the federal republic
of Nigeria that is involved and definitely not the house of
representatives. To bring the national assembly as a body into this
court case is totally unwarranted. It can only be for other purposes and
reasons outside the investigation and legal proceedings.
“A case of forgery is usually preferred against individuals.
This is not different. As was the case with a former speaker of the
house of representatives, who was accused of certificate forgery, what
he did was to resign, honourably. The matter did not even go to court.
In that particular case, it was never orchestrated as a matter for the
national assembly. The individual involved did not drag the entire
legislature into the matter.
“Meanwhile the separate statements by the senate president and
his deputy are indeed contradictory. While Senator Saraki believes Mr
President has abdicated his powers and that a cabal is in charge of
federal administration, Senator Ekweremadu says President Buhari has
become a dictator.
“Our democracy is still evolving and being deepened. The
provisions of the separation of powers are entrenched in our
constitution and should guide everyone in our conduct. The rule of law
is indeed supreme. This particular case is before the judiciary and is
not being decided by the executive arm of government. All that has
transpired is still within the confines of our laws.
"These are the rights to accuse, to be investigated and be
arraigned before the court. To impute other considerations to the
process is unfortunate. We should allow the process to take its course,
in consonance with the dictates of the law and total obeisance to the
cardinal democratic principle of the separation of powers.”
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