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Nigeria’s Senate on trial, Ben Nwabueze insists

By Marcel Mbamalu, News Editor
06 July 2016   |   4:55 am
Constitutional lawyer and elder statesman, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, has said it is not just the Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu who are on trial over forgery ...
Benjamin Obiefuna Nwabueze

Benjamin Obiefuna Nwabueze

• Constitutional lawyer says Executive breached constitution

Constitutional lawyer and elder statesman, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, has said it is not just the Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu who are on trial over forgery allegations but the entire Senate.

This is contrary to the position of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), David Babachir Lawal who had said only Saraki and Ekweremadu were on trial.

The two senior legislators and two others, including a former Clerk are facing criminal charges for allegedly forging the Senate’s Standing Rules in the build-up to the June 4, 2015 inauguration of the Senate and their emergence as principal officers.

While the SGF said individuals and not the Senate are on trial, Nwabueze disagreed, saying the entire Nigerian Senate is in the dock and that other senators should come out in solidarity with their leaders.

Nwabueze, a professor of Constitutional Law and former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, told The Guardian in Lagos that he was ‘provoked to come out’ from his ‘retirement’ and speak on the matter after reading Babachir’s comments.

While stressing that the prosecution of the leadership of the Senate in a court of law under the Executive amounts to use of coercive influence to interfere in the internal proceedings of the Senate, he said: “It is a flagrant breach of separation of powers caused by ignorance as can be seen in the incompetent statement by the AGF.”

He said the SGF was wrong in saying that the forgery case had nothing to do with separation of powers and that he has powers to initiate proceedings in any court of law.

Nwabueze argued that the Executive arm of government has contravened Section 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The constitutional lawyer also cited the U.S.’ Supreme Court in Humphrey v. United States (1934) thus: “The fundamental necessity of maintaining each of the three general departments of government entirely free from the control or coercive influence, direct or indirect, of either of the others, has often been stressed and is hardly open to serious question.
“So much is implied in the very fact of the separation of the powers of these departments by the constitution, and in the rule, which recognizes their essential co-equality. The sound application of a principle that makes one master in his own house precludes him from imposing his control in the house of another who is master there.
“The independence of each department requires that its proceedings ‘shall be free from the remotest influence, direct or indirect, of either of the other two powers.”

Nwabueze took a swipe at the SGF for asking Saraki and Ekwermadu to resign or face trial and for insisting that the Senate as an arm of government should be separated from its principal officers in the matter.

The senior lawyer said it would be absurd for government to interfere in an internal matter affecting an independent arm of government, especially as the Senate’s Standing Rules is not particularly a public document, only senators should be interested in it.

Describing the Senate as an abstraction, a legal person without a body, the constitutional lawyer said the Senate President and his deputy as the alter ego personify the ‘hallowed chamber’, just as a managing director is to his or her company.

He referred to the celebrated speech of Lord Haldane in Lennard’s Carrying Co. v. Asiatic Petroleum Co, Ltd in 1915 in which a company which owed a ship was seeking to take advantage of the limitation of liability under section 502 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1894.

The limitation was available only where the injury is caused without the owner’s “actual fault or privy.” The loss was as a result of the default of Lennard, its managing director and Viscount Haldane L.C delivered the judgment of the House in which he held the company liable, by saying that “a corporation is an abstraction with no mind of its own any more than it has a body of its own; its active and directing will must consequently be sought in the person of somebody who for some purposes may be called an agent, but who is really the directing mind and will of the corporation.”

132 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    Long live Nwabueze!

  • Author’s gravatar

    With due respect, if this comment credited to you is true, then is very unfortunate.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Always on the wrong side, typical isn’t?

  • Author’s gravatar

    Some old people were/are over valued. Some are deluded.
    Forged a rules book in the senate is a shame. A responsible leader will condemn it.
    Cynically supporting forgery it means no more values in Nigeria. What lesson does this teaches the younger ones. Simply dishonesty

    • Author’s gravatar

      Forged a school certificate. Instead of showing us his school certificate showed us 13 SANs and 1953 Classmates.

    • Author’s gravatar

      Please can you share a link where the original is published? I’m really pained when some of Nigerians are allowed to be fooled by this politicians. There is no case or substance in the allegation of forgery with regards to senate standing rule.

      Every senate makes their own laws and there is no law that states how the new senate rule will initiated. At best, what is presented to the senate on the day of inauguration is used as working document that will be debated and adopted by the senate after inauguration. Thereafter, any alteration will follow what is stipulated in the adopted rule book. Why some people allow themselves to be hound-winked by this administration of APC that like media administration than delivery of good governance.

      • Author’s gravatar

        Thanks for ur analysis

      • Author’s gravatar

        Then let them prove it in the courts that they did not change the previous Senate rule that was left for them..

        forgery allegation alone to a law maker is a serious case

        • Author’s gravatar

          What Prof. Nwabueze is saying in this case is that there is nothing like forgery in the senate rules, and that the matter is not suppose to go to court in the first place. It is the internal affairs of the senate and senators to resolve it. Was the document in question forged at inauguration or after inauguration? Has it been the custom of the senate to adopt new rules to govern them at the beginning of another session of the senate? If these questions are in the affirmative, why would the action of the 8th senate attract all these condemnations? If the administrative section of the senate has used a doctored rules to usher in the 8th senate, it is the duty of the senators to amend it after their inauguration if they do not want to adopt it. But if after the adoption and there was an alteration, that is when you should be talking about forgery. But so long as it was a new rule different from what was used by the 7th senate and was adopted by the senators, you cannot say the document was forged. But due to the political tussle in the red chambers leading to the emergence of Saraki and Ekweremadu as senate president and deputy senate president respectively, which was against the interest of the ruling party, anything would be done to ensure that the duo are kicked out. That is exactly what the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) is doing and supported the by Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir. Were you not aware that the AGF was and is one of the lawyers representing the Unit Forum, who are fighting the emergency of Saraki and Ekweremadu before his appointment as the AGF? Were you not aware that a court of competent jurisdiction has ruled that the case was a civil case and an internal affairs of the senate? Were you not aware that another court of competent jurisdiction has declared that the filling of the case by the AGF was an abuse of court process and not in the interest of the people bearing in mind that the name of the AGF is still appearing as one of the lawyers representing the Unity Forum? We all know what is at stake in this matter. We should not allow politics and tribal sentiments becloud our discerning minds. All these actions of the federal government and APC is just to kick Ekweremadu out. Please try to wear your thinking cap and not tribal cap and reason well like a man with a discerning mind.

          • Author’s gravatar

            ” Has it been the custom of the senate to adopt new rules to govern them at the beginning of another session of the senate?” The question that is begging for an answer is, when was the new rule adopted and by who?

          • Author’s gravatar

            So how can Saraki and Ekwerenmadu doctore a document when they have not been elected and does not have no power to amend the rule.

          • Author’s gravatar

            You asked a good question. And that is why as the current leaders of the house ( who benefited from the forgery) they have to clear themselves in the court of law.

          • Author’s gravatar

            Don’t worry my dear,they will. Hope you would accept the verdict then and not blame the judge. The direction of the impending judgement is even already playing out in the lower courts. My happiness,as always,is that this case will end up in the supreme court. I can’t wait!!!

          • Author’s gravatar

            That is a misplaced accusation; the people who doctored the document (if it true) should therefore be help responsible. However if you want to include Saraki and Ekwerenmadu, then the whole senators who voted with the doctored rules should also be arraigned in court as well.

          • Author’s gravatar

            @Mac, you should know by now how the law works . Both the thieve and the keeper or whoever benefits from the stolen goods are jointly guilty. Saraki ,Ekweremadu and the House officials are the guilty ones. Not the entire senate. That is the political spin the accused want us to believe.

          • Author’s gravatar

            Then the entire members who voted with the doctored rules are all guilty as well.

          • Author’s gravatar

            The new rule was adopted by the Senators during their plenary session after their inauguration. The few senators who were loyal to their party saw that majority adopted what was presented and they were not happy. Hence, they shouted ‘forgery, forgery’. The 7th Senate was gone with their rules and the majority of Senators in the 8th Senate came in to accept what their leadership presented to them for adoption. Indeed if what was presented was not good enough then they would have amended it. The document which they are saying was forged was not imposed. Politics is a game of numbers and the majority rules.

          • Author’s gravatar

            The new rules were never adopted by either the 7th or 8th Senate. That the crux of the matter.

          • Author’s gravatar

            Corruption is the cog in the wheel of our national progress, I observe some people submission as being corruptly inclined. Are we saying curruption should be allowed to flow in the Senate without check, you said it is the duty of the Senate to amend rules after inauguration!! What a mess, Any righteous thinking individual will know that you can not place something on nothing, if the process of election is wrong and fraudulent in nature, then the whole episode is a nulity without more !!! My advise is for Saraki and his cohorts to resign has it is being done in the advanced countries of the world. Let the forgery case be in dependently investigated.

          • Author’s gravatar

            Laughable!!! What do you think is wrong in the process?

          • Author’s gravatar

            aptly stated. Thanks for the incisive comment

        • Author’s gravatar

          They are already before the law court to prove their innocence but there would have been no cause for alarm if our judiciary were indeed insulated from executive manipulation more so that the AGF is an appointee of the President. The rule has been changed but it was adopted by the 72 senators that were present prior to the election of their principals. That makes it a legitimate document. There is no forgery in the document. The majority of senators were there, a quorum was formed, and a valid decision was made.

      • Author’s gravatar

        The 7th senate made theirs, while only saraki and ekweremadu forged the 8th senate standind rule and that was why the disenfranchised senators reported to the police

    • Author’s gravatar

      Buhari stole a budget and padded it with rent for Aso Rock. I guess the NASS was stupid for not impeaching him.
      Buhari wants a rubber stamp Senate so that he can become the absolute dictator that he craves.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Very brilliant is Ben Nwabueze,but unable to grow above sentiment.so unfortunate that such a supposed statesman and cerebral legal mind allows anger, ethnicity and hatred to affect his reasoning.

    • Author’s gravatar

      A confused mind. What is ethnicity and how is ethnicity connected to the write-up. Please consult literate minds to read for you please

      • Author’s gravatar

        There is no Yourba man that will accept what he said because all of you are blinded with tribal sentiments. You will accept only when stupid and useless Wole speaks.

        • Author’s gravatar

          This is another tribal comment that should not be allowed. I have seen Yorubas, even in this forum, either agreeing or disagreeing with Prof. Nwabueze on this issue. So, it has nothing to do with tribes.

        • Author’s gravatar

          The only true Igbo leaders I respect is The late Chief Mbakwe.and Chief,Dr Ekwueme

          • Author’s gravatar

            who really cares about your respect. if dr ekwueme who you claim speaks the truth today you will still malign him

          • Author’s gravatar

            You are sentimentally tribal. Why only these two. Even Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe should not be respected and so many others that are alive today? I am disappointed in you Tunde.

        • Author’s gravatar

          I am an Igbo and even though I agree with the general direction of your argument, I do not agree that Prof. Wole is useless. Let’s make our point without painting everyone with the same brush.
          Thanks

          • Author’s gravatar

            I agree with you Fuzio. You do not need to insult to push the truth to the lamplight.

    • Author’s gravatar

      You can we why we are where we are today. always sentimental in analysis. so forgery is not a case to be prosecuted? was it executive that initiated petition?

      • Author’s gravatar

        Don’t mind the old FOOL

        • Author’s gravatar

          Name calling has never been a solution to any problem anywhere. Just the same way you are entitled to your freedom of speech so is the Prof. Use a superior argument to argue your position rather than insult the man. I only think you are hurt by his position because it exposes the folly in the position of the government.

      • Author’s gravatar

        My dear,forgery of what? What was forged? As old as you are in Nigeria today,you cannot see the undercurrents of what is happening. I cant wait for this case to get to the supreme court.

        • Author’s gravatar

          My brother just save your breath for those who do not know that water has started swallowing them. One day they wil wake up and see the Nigeria has been sold to the North with their evil agenda.

        • Author’s gravatar

          when you have five directors in your company and only one changed the business rule book, sit down and be watching. is there no provision for the rule amendment? have they all come out and deny the forgery? why did they summon service chief when BH boys were raining and never considered it as sole duty of officers to curtail Boko boys?

          • Author’s gravatar

            If Oracle Corporation set its internal corporate rules to run the Company and the CEO and Vice President of Oracle violate the internal corporate rules, what has that got to do with IBM or Google or even the US Government? The violation is internal to Oracle corporation and it is the responsibility of the Board of Directors of Oracle Corporation to investigate and discipline the culprits, if they are guilty.

            The three arms of the Nigerian Government — Executive, Legislature and and Judiciary — are co-equal, and have their internal rules to run their respective arms of Government. The Executive arm has no legal authority and no right whatsoever to probe and prosecute the Legislative arm or Judicial arm for any violation of their respective internal rules.

            Stop Confusing the Nigerian constitution with the internal procedural rules of the respective arms of the Nigerian government.

            Buhari is setting a very dangerous precedent as a civilian dictator who does not respect the Nigerian Constitution. Once, the tenets of the Constitution are violated by the highest authority, the Presidency, anarchy and chaos follow, and no one is safe. Stop supporting Buhari’s dictatorship.

          • Author’s gravatar

            Throughout the elder igboman analysis he never mention a portion of Nigeria Constitution to support his argument, it’s very unfortunate

          • Author’s gravatar

            in as much i will not support dictatorship, i will not also support forgery.

          • Author’s gravatar

            @ Oracle, I should have expected then that the aggrieved senators in this matter would have hired a lawyer to argue there case in a law court rather than the executive doing it for them. I agree totally with the position of Prof. Ben Nwabueze. There is no any sentiments in his speech.

      • Author’s gravatar

        The Executive branch cannot interfere in the activities of the Legislative branch. That is how the separation of the powers work. When the FBI stormed the house of Rep. Jefferson of Louisiana to search for bribe money he was alleged to have received. George Bush the then president had to apologize the the Legislative branch for that interference. The Legislative arm has its own mechanism for investigating malfeasance. If it does not have it then that is where the attention should be and people should ask why. The constitution did not give the executive branch the power to wade in. Read the excepts of the FBI raid on Rep. Jefferson. Also Google “FBI Raid on Lawmaker’s Office Is Questioned”
        You can find it on Wikipedia:

        “On 30 July 2005, Jefferson was videotaped by the FBI receiving $100,000 worth of $100 bills in a leather briefcase at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Arlington, Virginia.[8] Jefferson told an investor, Lori Mody, who was wearing a wire, that he would need to give Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar $500,000 “as a motivating factor” to make sure they obtained contracts for iGate and Mody’s company in Nigeria. A few days later, on 3 August 2005, FBI agents raided Jefferson’s home in Northeast Washington and, as noted in an 83-page affidavit filed to support a subsequent raid on his Congressional office, “found $90,000 of the cash in the freezer, in $10,000 increments wrapped in aluminum foil and stuffed inside frozen-food containers”. Serial numbers found on the currency in the freezer matched serial numbers of funds given by the FBI to their informant.
        Late on the night of May 20, 2006, FBI agents executed a search warrant[10] at Jefferson’s office in the Rayburn House Office Building. The raid led to an irony that one of Democrat Jefferson’s staunchest defenders in the turf battle between the FBI and Congress became Dennis Hastert, who was Speaker of the House and a Republican….”

      • Author’s gravatar

        You are just too ignorant to understand what Prof Nwabueze.is talking about. It is also a waste of time attempting to explain that to you. SO LONG.

    • Author’s gravatar

      Answer the question:how does ethnicity relate to Prof Nwabueze’s contribution? Can’t you appreciate someone’s contribution without reference to his ethnic background? Low life!

      • Author’s gravatar

        Don’t mind them, they won’t appeciate because they have biased mind

      • Author’s gravatar

        Did they not forge ?

        • Author’s gravatar

          We do not know if they forged because it is yet an allegation for now. However, even if they forged then it is not a matter for the attorney general of the federation to prosecute. The aggrieved Senators should hire a lawyer to argue their case in a law court of competent jurisdiction. That is the principle of separation of power.

        • Author’s gravatar

          If you impregnate your wife, is the child an illegitimate child? If not so, then the NASS bureaucracy producing new new Standing Rule 2015 to serve the 8th Senate, just the same way as it has had power to produce Standing Rules 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011 cannot be forgery. If you consider it forgery, then the your children cannot be said to be legitimate.

          • Author’s gravatar

            on that note, can impregnate your wife in her absence?

      • Author’s gravatar

        Professor has never lived above ethnicity in his life. Because an igboigbo bigot is involved he can not hold his peace. I’m from the same town where Dr Saraki come from but as Yoruba we don’t support indecency. This fight against forgery and corruption is for the benefit of all. This Baba provexor is dangerous.

      • Author’s gravatar

        Let the elder Igboman tell us who petition the police ,who investigate the matter and who has the right to prosecute. So if a senator kill a senator in the chamber the case will end in the chamber.

        • Author’s gravatar

          Beyond the issue of constitutionality or otherwise of the police intrusion into Senate’s internal affairs, it needs to be mentioned that the petitioners did not mention Saraki or Ekweremadu. Those interrogated did not mention Saraki or Ekweremadu. The police report did not also mention or indict them. So, how did the AGF come about their names? This, to me, is the million dollar question.

    • Author’s gravatar

      Please can you let us know where ethnic bias came in.

    • Author’s gravatar

      You have provided no specific instance where he allowed those primordial sentiments to cloud his reasoning. The absence of those specifics rendered your post as clueless rambling.

    • Author’s gravatar

      The man is talking Law, not sentiments, please. Also hear Justice Kolawole on the alleged Senate forgery: “…the National Assembly, being one of the three arms of government of the Federation, is expected to be free to run and conduct its affairs in accordance with its own ‘Rules’ or ‘Standing Orders’. Where it has taken a decision, which did not follow its own internal “Rules” and “Standing Orders,” the choice open to themembers is to get the decision reversed only through democratic process by mobilizing the majority of the members to get the decision reviewed and possibly reversed”. Ruling on 27/07/15

  • Author’s gravatar

    Long live Nwabueze! Our erudite professor

  • Author’s gravatar

    Nigeria has intelligent people like Nwabueze but hands its destiny to an illiterate Buhari.

  • Author’s gravatar

    I can see noe that these are the people that PUSHED GEJ to tight corner with this warped advise.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Buhari and his cohorts do not understand the meaning of the rule of law nor the doctrine of separation of powers in a democracy. To him, democracy means no more than organising 2 million ‘flawless’ votes from Kano State to propel him to the presidency. His regime is a throw-back to the military era of 1984. Before and during the elections, we warned Nigerians not to be fooled, but here we are dancing to the evil beats of Buhari’s change.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Perhaps, Professor Nwabueze has been retained as one of the lawyers of Saraki and Ekweremadu, to make their case for them, in the public square. So the opinions set forth by Professor Nwabueze, may not be his opinions as a statesman, but his opinions as a lawyer, licensed to practice law in Nigeria, who has been retained by the accused persons, Saraki and Ekweremadu. There is nothing wrong with that.

    “Senate’s Standing Rules is not particularly a public document, only senators should be interested in it”. Nothing can be farther from the truth.

    How can our senate standing rules not be a public document. The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not a cult. It is a public institution.The senators were voted into office to represent their constituencies. Anything they do – even if it is classified – is public business, including their rules. The position of senator is not a chieftaincy title

    Even the Standing Rules of the United States Senate – where we borrowed our constitution from – is posted online for all to see, as a public document, as opposed to being kept in the bedroom of Mitch McConnell.

    The Attorney general was correct.

    The prosecution of Saraki and Ekweremadu does not interfere with separation of powers. The executive branch – Attorney General – has the right to prosecute any member of the executive, legislature or judicial branches of government who commits any crime.

    Our we now trying to say that the Attorney General cannot prosecute a sitting judge for fraudulently altering the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, for accepting bribe or for killing one of the lawyers appearing before him in cold blood

    The cases cited by Professor Nwabueze – Humphrey v. United States (1934) and Lennard’s Carrying Co. v. Asiatic Petroleum Co, Ltd (1915) – does not say that the Attorney General of the United States cannot file criminal charges against a member of the U.S. congress.

    On the contrary

    In October, 2012, Jesse Jackson, Jr.,U.S Rep. Illinois, was charged with misuse of campaign funds, while he was still a congressman. He had the good sense to resign from congress one month later. In July, 2015, Chaka Fattah, U.S. Rep. Pennsylvania, was charged with 23 counts of RICO violation, while he was still in congress. He also resigned. In 2015, Michael Grimm, U.S. Rep. N.Y., was charged with 20 counts of fraud and tax evasion, while he was still in congress and he too resigned

    The trial of Saraki and Ekweremadu is not a trial of the Nigerian senate, at all.

    What we have here is two very selfish, stingy and power hungry people, who got carried away by their personal ambition, that they forged an official document that was standing between them and their ephemeral ambition

    Saraki and Ekweremadu’s show of shame is getting out of hand and is causing them to make an already bad problem worse.

    We have gone from forging senate rules, to telling our children that our senate rules is no longer an official document, to telling our younger generation that Saraki and Ekweremadu are the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    How much lower do we have to go for the vain glorious ambition of two men

    Previous Nigerian senate presidents – Chuba Okadigbo and Evan Enwerem were impeached and Adolphus Wabara resigned – to protect our hallowed chambers, based less serious allegations than the allegations against Saraki and Ekweremadu. Why most their own case be different.

    Does it mean that the 8th senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has no moral compass

    • Author’s gravatar

      GOD BLESS YOU…. THANK YOU

    • Author’s gravatar

      You need to include how who gets what in the NASS becomes d problem of masses that has enough cross to carry. If the senators are not crying, why the Executive? Can d Senate dictate to the Presidency who gets what in his cabinet? Why? You’re aware of the Genesis of this problem, had Saraki and Ekweremandu not been elected by their colleagues to lead them would this be coming up? Put differently, had the party line been followed in the hallowed chamber would d Senate be in this media trial? You’re aware, I’m sure, that Senate standing rules changes periodically as new ones resume. What has changed in this? Do d allege new rules got the majority backing or not? We can’t all be minions or puppets, someone must be thinking. The prof do not need to be paid or employed to speak his mind, it’s just a provoking common sense

      • Author’s gravatar

        Majority backing,Saraki after Saraki has dubiously sent text messages to his APC senators that there is a meeting with the president while hiding at the car park. How many senators voted that day?59 out of 108 federal senators. It was the senators that invited the police and not the executive. Why does the Igbos always allow themselves to be used for scuttling democracy in Nigeria?Greed

        • Author’s gravatar

          Tunde why are you such a bigot. In all your comments you are either using ethnic slurs or name calling to back your argument. Which school did you attend. Is it called, Backward primary school? The wise are those who remind themselves that they may not know all and so they listen.

          Take it easy and listen may be you will learn a few.

        • Author’s gravatar

          But why do you love manipulating facts bro.? Are u liar Mohamed?? Or trying to be one?. You mean Saraki originated the SMS Oyegun admitted he circulated dt morning for em to av a final rehearsal of D play to be held in the house? You telling us the Senate requested for security and not your party? Common!!! That’s too babish… Google is a friend

      • Author’s gravatar

        Take notice that it is the aggrieved senators that petitioned on the alleged forgery and not the executive, AGF is only acting in his official and constitutional capacity to prosecute.

        • Author’s gravatar

          In the US, the executive branch has no business interfering with affairs of the Legislative arm. The Legislative arm has its own mechanisms for investigating unethical or criminal behavior of members. They may at the end of investigation decide to invite the Judicial arm in the prosecution of such offenses. But the prerogative is theirs. Nigeria claims to be practicing American-style presidential system, so that is why this explanation is relevant. If the Legislature in Nigeria does not have this ethics monitoring office then Nigerians should ask them why. The executive branch is a co-equal and has no business in the matter.

          • Author’s gravatar

            A case study of Ricky Tafa(SAN) a senior member of the bar was alleged of bribery scandal and as such he was investigated by the police and thereafter recommended for prosecution. Take notice that there is legal practitioner disciplinary committee who can also investigate and punish on this alleged offence, note further that there is judicial service commission who can investigate and punish judges if alleged. However, in the police Act, police are empowered to investigate any form of alleged criminal matters like forgery and same can be recommended for prosecution.
            In this instance case, it is improper for a person to be a judge in his own case, Saraki and ekeremadu are beneficiaries of this offence and as such they could not be fit and proper to do objective investigation at the floor of the house. Moreso it is the document that served as a catalyst for their emergence that is being questioned hence you can place something on nothing. You should know the outcome of such investigation if the beneficiary of the offence are saddled with the responsibility to try it case before himself.

          • Author’s gravatar

            Ricky Tafa (SAN) is not a government employee. He does not work in any of the 3 branches of government. I don’t know why you are bringing that up here. You are mixing things up. The Nigerian Bar Association is a private trade group. It is not a government agency. If you are are confused about the makeup of the Judiciary then you ask and we will help you out. Kapiert!

        • Author’s gravatar

          What percentage of the senators petitioned? as it were, they’re less than 20 in a house of 108 minus d deceased one. Do you sincerely think the bloc dt lost an election wud clap for d process dt threw them out?. If they had issue it shud be settled on d floor of d house. No court can give instructions on how the NASS shud be run. The case is DOA mark it. No court will grant this executive rascality, it’s just arrogance taken too far

      • Author’s gravatar

        Damilola you are a true and frank person irrespective of your tribe or creed. You have brought reasons to the fore. I wish those arguing for the executive would reason in that direction then we would not need to castigate the Prof.

    • Author’s gravatar

      After God has finished Blessing you..He will extend it to 10 generations of your blood line..

      perhaps..This may not be words of the prof..
      I hope so..

      If it is then he has shown us that he cannot be respected as a professor of law..because he is saying anything done in the Senate is not the business of executive or judiciary and at large Nigerian. .so is the Senate for another planet?

      • Author’s gravatar

        I hope we are discussing issues and the positions of the law, and not sentiments or wishes! John Paul and yourself may benefit if it were the latter, but certainly not in the case of the former!

        Prof. Nwabueze has rightly stated the position of the law which he supported with citations to relevant sections of our Constitution and case law. I have not seen that of John Paul in those regards.

        You may choose to disagree with the Prof, for whatever reasons, but that does not diminish him or the position he has canvassed.

    • Author’s gravatar

      Thank you for a very brilliant submission. I bet you that if Ekweremadu has not been involved, we would not be hearing a once brilliant professor making a fool of himself and his ethnic grand standings since the inception of this government.

      • Author’s gravatar

        Why the resort to insults? Is it that you don’t have any superior argument to canvass? In that case, it is wise to spare us your ignorance!

        • Author’s gravatar

          What is insulting in my submission? Please read it again, intelligently. and stop getting carried away by the man’s statue. If he is wrong he is wrong. Period.

          • Author’s gravatar

            As per your advice, I have read your comments again! And as usual, intelligently!

            You mean you could not see what is insulting in your assertion about “a once brilliant professor making a fool of himself ……”?

            You can disagree with the Prof, but you don’t need to insult him.

            By the way, I am not carried away by any body’s status, but I respect people for who they are and what they have achieved.

            Please, read your comments again, or are you not absam777

          • Author’s gravatar

            I am surprised by the logic of your reasoning. Just because I said that a man who was once a brilliant prof but not acting such brilliance is now counted as an insult, by you. Are you for real?

            If a woman was once beautiful and for all the bad reasons she is no longer beautiful (in the eye of the beholder) does that require of the beholder to continue claiming that she is still beautiful.?

            I disagree with the prof but I have not insulted him and you are the one determining what is an insult in your myopic way.

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            ‘a once brilliant professor making a fool of himself and his ethnic grand standings’ Does this phrase from your post not amount to an insult? I don’t think that it is a crime for an Igbo man to defend or say the truth in favour of a fellow Igbo man. Have we not seen the Yorubas spitting fire in the past because one of their own was involved? (M.K.O. Abiola).

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      I think this is a matter of law (law broadly defined to include the respect of the Constitution), not of what we generally refer to as commonsense. You cite the cases of former Senate presidents who were impeached–and, I might add, by their fellow senators–and thereby unwittingly make Nwabueze’s case. You even cite the case of Jesse Jackson, Jr., but just end up mixing apples and oranges. If serving senators come to the conclusion that their president and his vice have contravened any senate rules they can impeach them. That’s how our system was designed to work. And for good reason!

      The greatest danger to this country today is the subversion of our hard-earned democracy that is going on before our on very eyes and that people like you on a daily basis underplay for reasons that, upon close scrutiny, are purely partisan.

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        The question we should ask ourselves is that if there is a murder in the Senate. Does the constitution also grant them the right to sort it out in-house.?

        The logic of respect for the constitution is being over stretched just because of the political and ethnic drum beating.

        If a crime was committed in any part of the land, including Aso Rock, it is only fair that it is investigated and the culprit brought to justice. The true democracy is when all men are equal before the law.

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        The greatest danger that our country faces are people like Musiliu Obanikoro, Ayo Fayose and Caleb Olubolade who were caught red handed – on audio tape – conspiring to use our military and our money to rig the Ekiti State elections.

        Alongside those idiots are people like Sambo Dasuki, Olisa Metuh, Alex Badeh, Adesola Amosu and Fani Kayode, who felt that it was okay for the members of our armed forces to die in the war front while they looted the $2.1 billion that was meant for securing our country

        The brazen incidents of corruption highlighted above are just a tip of the iceberg of PDP’s 16 years of the locust

        But on the 28th of March, 2015, against all odds, including the $2.1 billion from the our of our National Security Adviser that was used against us, Nigerians voted PDP out of power and thereby fled from PDP’s Mumudom

        Nigerians had barely made it out of the gate, before Saraki and Ekweremadu tried to drag us back again to their criminal fiefdom, by allegedly forging the standing order of our senate

        No matter how we choose to spin this disgrace, it is undisputed that our 2011 Senate standing order, not having been amended in accordance with Rule 110 of the 2011 standing order, was the only legitimate standing order of our senate in June, 2015, at the time Saraki was elected.

        Additionally, Section 3 of our legitimate Senate standing order – Senate standing order 2011- clearly provides how the election of the principal officers of the senate is to be conducted- by open ballot and by a majority of all Senators elect

        That was not how Saraki and Ekweremadu were elected. Their election was a fraud. They are interlopers

        The fact that a majority of senators may support the illegality of the election of Saraki and Ekweremadu does not change anything. It is tantamount to the “tyranny of the majority” because Saraki and Ekweremadu were elected in violation of the rights of the other senators, and by extension millions of members of their constituencies, who are not in support of the failure of the senate to elect its principal officers in accordance with Rule 110 of the legitimate 2011 standing order

        Moreover, the forgery of our senate rules, is a criminal matter and not a “family affair”

        By the way, what Jesse Jackson Jr. was charged with – spending campaign funds on car leases, vacations -and other luxury is more of an “internal affair” and less odious than the forgery of our rules. But yet he – and his wife- were indicted, convicted and served time in jail for that conduct

        Our enemies are not the people demanding justice in out hallowed chambers. Nigerians are not in doubt as to who are enemies are. Chukwuma Nzeogwu eloquently articulated who the enemies of Nigeria are:

        “Our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places that seek bribes and demand 10 percent; those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers or VIPs at least, the tribalists, the nepotists, those that make the country look big for nothing before international circles, those that have corrupted our society and put the Nigerian political calendar back by their words and deeds.”

        • Author’s gravatar

          But you should have told us that your support is based on your grudge against the PDP and not based on the rule of law. It is very clear now that even if constitutional provisions are breached to convict anyone who is sympathetic to or has anything to do with the PDP then you will support the person. I think you are already a disaster.

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      One thing that is very outstanding in this mess of a nation is the endemic rot in the society and the shrewd-ability of Northern politicians to diplomatically used the opportunity to realign the political equation that had almost eluded them for roughly 16 years. They(northerners ) are able to find allies among self centered and greedy self appointment political gladiators, who will see nothing wrong in any action of an elected government, as far as they are partisan and not people of fair mindset. This also supported by the endemically corrupt judiciary that has turn themselves to tweak toothless and incoherent pronouncement that that is effected on those outside government while those in government are above the law, Until Nigerians put aside the tag of most “easy people to fooled and govern”, put aside the tag of extreme political gullible and empty noise makers and decided to take back the already bastardised project Nigerian, we are standing on a time bomb that might probably go the way of Sudan, Until Nigerians put aside blind party followership and critically analysis each political aspirants devoid of political party, we are going to continue to witness this such or anomalies from our politically biased public officers.

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      Probably, you are a lawyer and member of the legal team retained by the AGF to prosecute Saraki and his deputy. So, the opinion you have just aired here may not be your honest opinion, but that of the prosecution team. You know, a lawyer would always be on the side of his client.

      However, any discerning reader would see the differences between the objective arguments of Prof. Nwabueze, and yours that are filled with sentiments, allegations and possibly envy!

      • Author’s gravatar

        When one fails to understand what is right from wrong, heeeeeem! Nwabueze has out-live whatever he learnt about constitutional law. Even the judgement he cited last said it was the head that bear the responsibility! It was those who are directing ‘the mind and will of the corporation”!

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      Mr John Paul (or whatever your name is),
      You are as ignorant as you are biased. You obviously don’t even understand the professor’s argument, and that’s why you are comparing apples with oranges. What has misuse of campaign funds got to do with writing of Senate Rules (an internal working document of the Senate)?
      I know there are many other ignorant people on this forum who will support the nonsense you have written, but it doesn’t matter to me because I know that for them, it’s not about reason and good judgment, just ethnic bias and hatred.

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      Very well said, John Paul. I don’t think anyone else would have articulated those solid points you’ve pointed out any better. Bravo!

      P34c3
      …..

    • Author’s gravatar

      How many Justices have ever been prosecuted in a law court in this our Nigeria? The NJC investigates any petition against any one of them and recommend the punitive measures that should be enforced against them. That is the principle of separation of power.

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      John Paul, the question you have not addressed is how previous Senate Standings Oders evolved. It is key to understanding the mischief of the executive arm of government in this instance. If Ben Efeturi, the oldest serving National bureaucrat dating back to the Second Republic averred that the emergence of the Senate Rules 2015 follwed exactly the same convention and practice as those of 1999 (which was by the way made by the NASS in the first instance borrowing from other global best practices), 2003, 2007, and 2011, what contrary facts have have you proffered? None, except the fury of a paid internet attorney. It is just unfortunate that in our politics, just like in Nigerian football, everybody claims to be a gaffer.

      Please, read the ruling of Justice Kolawole on the alleged Senate forgery: “…the National Assembly,
      being one of the three arms of government of the Federation, is
      expected to be free to run and conduct its affairs in accordance with
      its own ‘Rules’ or ‘Standing Orders’. Where it has taken a decision,
      which did not follow its own internal “Rules” and “Standing Orders,” the
      choice open to themembers is to get the decision reversed only through
      democratic process by mobilizing the majority of the members to get the
      decision reviewed and possibly reversed”. Ruling on 27/07/15

      So, how come the executive cannot muster the number to impeach these men? It is because except for the few foot soldiers of the executive in the Senate, the Senators, as they unanimously affirmed on 10th June 2015 and 24th June 2016, know their Standing Order 2015 is not forged.

      So, wake up to the reality.

      • Author’s gravatar

        For us to grow as a country, we should stop this very irritating habit of placing personalities above principles.

        Ben Efuri does not know what he it talking about.

        The fact that a thief has been stealing from your house since 2003 does not give the thief the right to steal from you house today and is not a defense to the previous thefts that he committed on you

        Let us look at what the rules say about amending our senate standing rules. Rule 110 of the legitimate senate standing order at the time that Saraki was elected – Senate Standing 2011 provides as follows:

        “(i) any Senator desiring to amend any part of the rules or adding any new clause shall give a notice of such amendments in writing to the president of the Senate, giving details of proposed amendment; (ii) the president shall, within seven working days, cause the amendment to be printed and circulated to the members. Thereafter it shall be printed on the Order Paper; (iii) the mover or movers of the amendments shall be allowed to explain in details, the proposed amendments; thereafter the Senate shall decide by simple majority votes whether the amendment should be considered; (iv) if the decision is to consider the amendments, then another date shall be set aside by the Rules and Business Committee, whereby an opportunity would be given to senators to further propose amendments, but must strictly be confined to the original amendments; (v) two third majorities shall decide the amendments, and such amendments shall form part of the Rules of the Senate.”

        Any literate person can see that those rules where not followed to the produce of the Standing rules of 2015 that was used to elect Saraki.

        Additionally, the people that forged the new rules – 2015 Standing Order – in their bedroom made a significant change to the 2011 rules that was geared towards disenfranchising their colleagues.

        They amended Section 3 of our legitimate Senate standing order – Senate standing order 2011- which clearly provides how the election of the principal officers of the senate is to be conducted- by open ballot and by a majority of all Senators elect. And changed it to electronic/secret ballot and an optional participation of senators elect

        The open ballot and participation of all senators rule, might have been there from the very beginning

        Justice Kolawole did not address the issue at hand. The issue goes beyond the rules not being followed in the election of the principal officers of the senate, the main issue is that a group of idiots sat down in their bedroom and produced a documents that suited their nefarious motive to disenfranchised their colleagues, and by extension, millions of Nigerians

        Regarding our 1999 rules being made in accordance to global best practices. Let is see what the standing rules of the United States Senate – one of the very few countries that has a senate and who we gleaned our constitution from- says on the issue at hand:

        “1. No motion to suspend, modify, or amend any rule, or any part thereof, shall be in order, except on one day’s notice in writing, specifying precisely the rule or part proposed to be suspended, modified, or amended, and the purpose thereof. Any rule may be suspended without notice by the unanimous consent of the Senate, except as otherwise provided by the rules.

        2. The rules of the Senate shall continue from one Congress to the next Congress unless they are changed as provided in these rules” – Rule V United States Senate Standing Rules

        Regarding why the legislature does not have the required votes – super majority – to remove Saraki and Ekweremadu: Wisdom is uncommon

        Despite the fact that we have big-headed idiots in the legislature, who are fooling themselves everyday, Nigeria has not been able to produce a paltry 3,000 MW consistently – for a population of 180 million- in the past 16 years. We have no roads, no pipe borne water, no proper healthcare and security all over Nigeria has been porous for decades

        Every Nigerian, including our politicians are their own local government. We hire police protect our families, have bullet proof cars, by SUV’s to ply on dilapidated roads, drill bore holes in all our homes and use generators to provide electricity to all our homes

        By our words and deeds, year after year, we keep making Nigeria unlivable for all of us. During the last dispensation and the mentality of that time, our politicians, leaders, judges and civil servants committed fraud and looted our commonwealth everyday. Each time they are caught with their pants down, they come up with some bold-faced, intellectually dishonest argument to justify actions that is keeping their country on its knees

        No wonder everyone involved in the scandal at issue, and their family members, have a safe haven outside Nigeria. Most of them cannot relax in Nigeria. To them, Nigeria is an entity to be pillaged to no end

        Nigerians have woken up.

        Nigerians that are patriotic and want things to work in Nigeria, the way they work in other countries are not paid to to be patriotic. On the contrary. They will rather pay their own money and spend their time working to make Nigeria a better place to live

        Those Patriotic Nigerians that we are talking about have realized that our mansions in Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja and our villages mean absolutely nothing if we do not have a functional society

        What are waiting for are our useless legislators, who are blinded by the vain glorious acquisition of power, to wake up and realize that it is futile to try to be the captain of a ship which is burning on account of their grab-power-at-all-cost mentality

        We are all better than this. We have already wasted 16 years in the wilderness. Let us not allow short term victory, a few moments of pleasure and hunger for ephemeral power cause us a whole lifetime of misery

  • Author’s gravatar

    I can’t believe this man is a constitutional lawyer and a professor for that matter.
    I really dislike it when people seek to use their qualifications to deceive others. It betrays yourself and belittles your profession.
    How can he come out and say that the legislature has immunity from prosecution ?. Because that is what he just said in a nutshell. The judiciary and executive don’t have powers over the legislature when a crime is committed ?. But the legislature has powers over them ?. Is this man really a professor ?

  • Author’s gravatar

    I am disappointed with the old man statement, we are talking of forgery but the man is talking about separation of power. Is the document forged or not? The old man should tell Saraki and Ekweremadu to face their music.

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    It’s but disheartening to see how senility is getting the better of Nwabueze,he only came out of retirement to unearth his own dirty credentials while in office & I won’t be surprised to read some of them on the tabloid pages soon.

  • Author’s gravatar

    If God should listen to all these comments he will withhold his blessings from Nigeria full of hateful citizens.

    • Author’s gravatar

      Very hateful citizens my brother. This is not a country at all! It is only time before it crumbles and everyone goes their way. The best gift I can give to my children is to make sure they are born outside this shores. The place is damned!!!

  • Author’s gravatar

    Lets not be too sentimental on this issue. Yes there is undoubtedly separation of powers between the Legislsture and the Executive. One is meant to check the other. However, the point to note here is were there rules to be forged? And if so who made those rules? As I understand it every Senate dies with its rules and the new Senate makes its own rules. Nevertheless again at what stage can they make the rules? Saraki and Ekweremadu were Senators elect. Therefore the question to ask is whether Senator elects can make rules or not.

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    I disagree with elder statesman Daddy Ben Nwabueze regarding the trial of Senate President Saraki and his assistant Senator Ekweremadu for the forgery case instituted against them by the government in the court. The rule of law is a ”constitutional doctrine that emphasizes the supremacy of the law as administered by the law courts”. This definition of the rule of law implies that the law is supreme and no man is above the law even an institution. The senate is not supreme to the law. The senate can make laws but they are not supreme to the law. Senators are not above the law also and will be prosecuted if they violate the law. Daddy Nwabueze is talking now because of Senator Ekweremadu, that is from the same region which is very obvious. Daddy Nwabueze cannot come out now and declare that the senate is on trial so has to dismantle the case, we are not fools. The truth is ”if you can’t do the time don’t do the crime”.

    The AGF has a right under the law to charge them to court if he feels they have committed an offence punishable under the law and that is what is has done. It is now left to Senator Saraki and Senator Ekweremadu to prove their innocence in court and not on the pages of newspaper. Has a legal luminary Daddy Nwabueze should know that he is also committing an offence for a case that his already in court by commenting on the pages of the newspaper in this way. If it was in the developed world like the UK, Germany or Sweden, he will not dare to speak like this but in Nigeria everything goes.

    It is high time our people start respecting the law and stop all this tribal sentiments that will take us no where.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Most unbiased Nigerians know better. We do not need to be schooled more than what we already know about legislative abracadabra. The same elite group plotting to arrogate immunity for themselves. Shameful illegitimate leaders, it is always about themselves. Million left unemployed, yet they see in themselves needing more money for their own pockets. The academic, constitutional lawyer should come up with solutions to unemployment, kidnapping, unlawful protests, killings and all other social vices the politicians introduced into our usually peaceful environments.

    • Author’s gravatar

      My brother what can I say to you for your honest comment than to tell you that you will achieve everything the Lord as planned for you. Elder Statesman Nwabueze is only commenting because of Senator Ekweremadu from his region, it is obvious to me. Let them prove their innocence in court and not on the pages of newspaper. Enough of this tribal sentiments. Has you pointed out non of them did anything meaningful to their people except for their family and I don’t know how they will face God for the millions of unemployment, kidnapping and social vices to mention a few that has crippled our wealthy nation when they were reigning instead of talking about a case that is not their business.

    • Author’s gravatar

      I am glad you recognize Prof. Nwabueze is a constitutional lawyer. Constitutional lawyers are not generally people who come up with solutions to unemployment, kidnapping , unlawful arrests (OK, I will concede this one!), etc. They are, instead, people who look at matters that border on the interpretation of the constitution and tell us what it should be–based on evidence (citations). And it seems to me that’s what the man did in this article. You’re probably an expert in some field and you must know how laughable it can be when laypeople think they have their word to say in matters that require expertise.

  • Author’s gravatar

    What is the principle of separation of power ? If the President embezzles public funds,the senate cannot take him to court but they can commence the process of impeachment on the president. Similarly, if there is an infringement in the National Assembly by the principal officers ,it is the duty of the legistilators to impeach such officer(s) . If the infringement is a criminal issue such an officer(s) can be prosecuted by the executive. The Blackman’s problem is that he does not understand the spirit behind many of the economic and political CONCEPTS he apes. That is why he continues to rule by the rule of thumb.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Here we go again… I remember the shameful role played by this ‘elder’ during the National Conference. Even the docile GEJ was confounded.

  • Author’s gravatar

    The issue is simple and straightforward, the Senate standing rule is the business of the Senate as enunciated by Professor and as such only the senators can complain thereof. However, in this instance case, it is the affected senators that have petitioned for investigation and possibly prosecution,if there were no petition, there won’t be investigation and prosecution as the AGF has power to prosecute upon the recommendation of the investigation.

    More so, the Senate is engaging in usurpation of power by inviting the AGF to gives reasons for prosecution the alleged persons, it is trite that you can not be a judge in your on case. Such invitation would be subjected to intimidation, harassment and further curruption if care is not taken.

    I advise Saraki and CO to approach court for judicial interpretation rather than using toothless hollow chamber that is devoid of dignity to pervert the cause of justice.

  • Author’s gravatar

    The man has spoken!

  • Author’s gravatar

    Before now, professor Nwabueze was one academician that I had respect for. Not any more. I disagree with his position. The Senate is not Saraki and Saraki is not the Senate. The executive did not wake up one day and decided to interfere in the internal affairs of the Senate. Rather the police only reacted to a petition written by other senators. And separation of powers does not imply that forgery or thuggery or murder in the Senate is not open to police investigation and prosecution. I do not see the basis of the professor’s position. He has recently been talking like a paid hack. His position is as outdated as he is.

  • Author’s gravatar

    @john Paul I think you got it wrong..Tha professor was right in his submission. Whatever happened at the Hallowed chamber is an internal affair as it concerns the rules and procedures.That is why even during fight or commotion in the House they are not prosecute .At best if what they did was wrong in altering the rules,it is for the senate to set up panel to investigate and thereafter impeach the senate president and the accomplice .I believe that after impeachment they can be tried by the AG. Until senate findings implicated them and sanctioned,i submit that the executive is wrong to charge them to court.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Thanks my Erudite Professor of Law. Teach them since it has become obvious that they don’t know. I hope they will hear and retrace their steps before they destroy our hard earned Democracy. The Legislature must not be arm twisted.

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    The prof is truly brilliant and would have been deemed so irrespective of his tribe, state or country of origin. As an expert in constitutional law he has laid down his points with citations that most of those challenging him had no idea existed. The stature of prof Nwabueze is not debatable, at least not by commentators on this newspaper forum. Both the AGF and the SGF would not register on a scale with prof Nwabueze on it for that comparison will be purely academic. The Nigerian democracy has degenerated to just simply “democracy northern Nigeria style”. If we continue this way we will soon end the fourth republic and never start the fifth.

  • Author’s gravatar

    The elder states man have spoken well, its simply the natural truth that the senate are being put to trial. The SGF is yet to come out open on what he meant by that its not the senate that are on trial. When the symbol of authorities in the senate are being draged to court for an alleged forgery case that they were not mentioned in the report. To anger me the more, a certain okon oblang who is the senior special assistance to the president on public prosecution was busy faulting and abusing the sensibility of the elder states man on channels early morning surevthis morning. The presidency should better allow the legislature to perform their duties period.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Ben Nnabueze is a respected Constitutional Lawyer. He has said it all. You can’t charge a Head and Deputy of an Institution to Court and say the Institution is not under trial.
    An internal business of the Senate cannot go to court. The judge said the AGF is intellectually weak on this matter. Like paymaster like servant.
    Islamising the country by ensuring that all appointments in the land is for a Hausa Moslems. No other religion followers are qualified in the North not to talk about South whom he considers infidels. God will judge this Deaf man. On Saraki and Ekweremadu we stand.

  • Author’s gravatar

    How do you expect this president and his ‘yes-men’ to understand such a ‘complex and abstract’ concept called the Separation of Powers?

  • Author’s gravatar

    In the US, the executive branch has no business interfering with affairs of the Legislative arm. The Legislative arm has its own mechanisms for investigating unethical or criminal behavior of members. They may at the end of investigation choose to invite the Judicial arm to prosecute such offenses or impose their own sanctions on the erring member(s). But the prerogative is theirs. Nigeria claims to be practicing American-style presidential system, so that is why this explanation is relevant. If the Legislature in Nigeria does not have this ethics monitoring office then Nigerians should ask them why. The executive branch is a co-equal and has no business in the matter.

  • Author’s gravatar

    According this constitutional lawyer, a brilliant mind, as described, the Senate president could bastardized the laws they created and could not be held responsible for it? I am not a lawyer but have read of people sent to jail for perjury in civilized society. Is the AGF a figurehead in our judicial system and could not charge any crime to court? If this luminary mind could tell us the job of the AGF in his write-up, maybe we could follow his logic and how he came to his conclusion. If the senate president is running his corporate as the write-up states, he could forged the corporate rules that benefited him at the expense of the corporation and nobody could lay hand on him? What then is the purpose of check and balance in our political system? Which of the three arms of government is to checkmate the Senate or the Judiciary or the Legislature? We expect this lawyer to explain the constitution to us before concluding on what which arm could or couldn’t do instead of this sensational and sentimental write-up. In short, this write-up complicated the understanding of AGF job and this so-called brilliant mind added nothing new to what we already know.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Half educated quota graduates of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria are now running the government of Nigeria. What a tragedy!

  • Author’s gravatar

    I am really surprised, in fact , appalled at how this bumbling, barely constitutionally literate Government of squint eyed, parochial persons has succeeded in converting many Nigerians into Zombies. It just baffles.
    I wager that come the latter end of this 2016, Nigeria, will be in total Disarray, and practically to all intents and purposes, Unrecognisable. I really shudder at the ease with which Buhari and his Aso Rock Govt of his immediate family has hypnotised Nigerians. Just amazing!

  • Author’s gravatar

    Buhari is an oppressive tyrant.

  • Author’s gravatar

    They dare not come out because the EFCC is waiting to imprison them they if they dared! Those who are saying that the senate should support their leaders are making a joke! Is there any other country in the world where people just rape the constitution and go Scott free? Nwabueze has out-lived his knowledge of law and what is right from wrong! Is this the kind of Nigeria this man wants to see in his life time? I doubt it!