Senator Ovie Omo-Agege
The President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki has clarified that the Senate’s decision to suspend one of its members, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege was because he took the legislative house to court.
Omo-Agege had sued the Senate to stop his appearance before the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over comments made on the amendment of the Electoral Act, 2018.
According to the media office of the President of the Senate, contrary to reports which stated that the Senator was suspended for comments concerning the electoral act amendment by the senate.
Omo-Agege during the consideration of the amendment, kicked against it and later briefed newsmen saying that the move to adjust the electoral sequence was targeted at President Buhari.
However, the media office clarified that the senator was suspended for taking the Seante and its activities to court. According to the office, the action was against the standing rules of the senate.
A letter addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, also copied the Ethic Committee, said the subject matter for which Omo-Agege was to appear before the committee was already in court.
The letter dated March 26, 2018 was signed by Ifeoluwa Ojediran for Summit Law Chambers.
Speaking during plenary on Thursday, Saraki had regretted that the senate had to get to the point of having to take such decisive action against one of its members.
However, he insisted that preserving the institution of the Senate and the National Assembly was very paramount which was why issues that border on the sanctity of the senate have to be dealth with according to the rules of the Senate.
“Distinguished Colleagues, a number of points have been raised. One borders on the issue of preserving the integrity of this institution. To me, that is what i think is the most important thing for us.
“Distinguished Colleagues I hope we will not have to come to these sorts of situations again at this point in this democratic process. We can cue on this and move forward,” he said.
On the parliamentary support group for President Buhari, Saraki said that the group lacked sincerity adding that based on actions and inaction, he (Saraki) was the right person to chair such a group in the National Assembly.
He said that the formation and chairmanship of the group was done to present some of them in better light and others in the wrong lights.
“Sometimes some people decide to act like they are holier than thou or more committed – at the expense of others. This is not something that we should tolerate, and I believe that in an institution like this we must show discipline, but at the same time we must also show compassion.
“Distinguished Colleagues, there must be discipline. We must show that such groups must be suspended and the case in court must be withdrawn.”
The Senate during plenary on Thursday, suspended Senator Omo-Agege for 90 legislative days. With the suspension, the senator will not participate in legislative activities till 2019.
-NAN
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