Buhari apologises to Senate over aide’s insult

President Muhammadu Buhari Friday apologised to Senate over the statements by Okoi Obono-Oblo, his Special Assistant on Prosecution from the office of the Attorney-General.

Okoi, had on Thursday told the Senate that it lacked the powers to summon the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami.

He said this when he appeared for the AGF before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matter led by Senator David Umaru, to explain why he dragged the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and two others to court over alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Order.

Read also: For the second time, AGF shuns Senate summon

It was learnt that Okoi caricatured the Senate, saying the red chambers lacked the powers to summon the Minister of Justice over a matter that was already in a competent court of law.

He also stated that the Presidency had no confidence on the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

Obono-Oblo said: “The AGF has not done anything wrong. The AGF has not undermined democracy. He acted pursuant to the powers vested in him by the Constitution. Section 174 (1) says he can prosecute anybody. And he has done that.

‘’The Senate is not on trial. He has not taken the Senate to court. He has taken four persons to court. They are not the Senate. Being President of the Senate does not make you the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The matter was investigated by the police and a prima facie case was established and the AG invoked his powers under Section 174 (1) to initiate criminal proceedings against those persons. And this matter is now before a court of law. There is separation of powers in Nigeria. It is not position of the Senate to constitute themselves into a court of law.”

But the President, through his Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, faulted the position of the the AGF.

He state that as an appointee of the President, the AGF was equally answerable to the Senate, adding that the statement ought not to have been made in the first place.

According to him, there was no way the Attorney General of the federation and Minister of Justice will not respect the Senators because the lawmakers screened and cleared the ministers as ministerial nominees.