Lawan group press on to remove Saraki

Senators loyal to Senator Ahmed Lawan under the aegis of the Senate Unity Forum have reiterated their determination to unseat the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

They stated on Wednesday, that they had not withdrawn the suit they filed at a Federal High Court in Abuja challenging the election of Saraki on June 9 as the Senate president.

The group dissociated itself from the purported withdrawal of a suit alleging that the Senate Standing Orders, used for the election of Saraki, and the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu were forged.

The petitioners are, among other things, seeking for the nullification of the election of both Senators to the offices.

Counsel for the group, Mamman Mike Osuman, SAN,) described reports that his clients had withdrawn the suit as “erroneous and mischievous.”

In a signed statement in Abuja, on Wednesday, Osuman explained that while the suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/647/2015, dated July 24, wherein “the purported election of Saraki and Ekweremadu was challenged,” which was filed by Senator Anthony Adeniyi, a member of the 7th Senate, had been withdrawn, the suit filed by his clients who are serving senators subsists.

He noted that oblivious of the existence of Adeniyi’s particularised suit, his clients briefed him to file a civil suit in court with an originating summons: FHC/ABJ/CS/651/2015.

“The above particularised suit differs in contents as can be distilled from their respective grounds, reliefs sought, affidavit evidence, parties and declarations sought,” he said.

He argued that the suit filed by serving senators, including Suleiman Hunkuyi, Kabir Garba Marafa, Abu Ibrahim, Robert Ajayi Boroffice and Gbenga Ashafa had not been withdrawn.

The statement partly read, “Despite the legal possibility that the suit discontinued could be re-filed, the media should have been more specific about the case withdrawn.

“Contrary to the misinformation put out there, we hereby confirm the originating summons in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/651/2015 filed at the instance of the above-named senators against Saraki, Ekweremadu and the National Assembly.”

Read also: Saraki, Ekweremadu ignore court in alleged forgery case

Osuman insisted that the prayers sought in the originating summons still persisted; “which is that the elections which brought Saraki and Ekweremadu are illegal, irregular and non-sustainable because the Senate Standing Orders (2011) was not amended in the manner stipulated by Rules 110 of the 2011 Senate Standing Orders to produce the purported document titled, Senate Standing Orders 2015 (as amended).”

The spokesman for the senate, Dino Melaye, had in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, expressed gratitude to the Senate Unity Forum for terminating the suit.

Melaye had, in the statement he signed, said the Senate commended the SUF over its decision to withdraw the suit seeking to remove the Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, over allegations of forgery of the Senate Standing Orders 2015, used for the inauguration of the 8th Senate.

The Senate spokesperson had in the statement claimed that Justice Ademola Adeniyi, of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday struck out the case and terminated further hearing on the matter after the plaintiffs, who are members of the SUF, withdrew their suit.

The five members of the SUF, who instituted the suit, are senators Abu Ibrahim, Kabiru Marafa, Ajayi Borofice, Olugbenga Ashafa and Suleiman Hunkuyi.

 

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now