12th July, 2015
Friends in The Gap, an NGO, on Sunday in Abuja, called for a thorough probe into the allegation of forgery of the Senate Standing Order 2015 that made Senator Ike Ekweremadu emerge as deputy senate president.
This was contained in a statement issued by Mr George Oji, Executive Director of The Gap.
It urged the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, to properly investigate the allegation that the forgery made it possible to elect Ekweremadu as Deputy President of the Senate.
“We note the explanations by Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, that every new senate must operate with a new rule in compliance with Section 64 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended to justify the emergence of the new rule book.
“Consequently, we appeal to the senate to conduct thorough investigations to ascertain the circumstances that led to the surreptitious emergence of the new rule book.
“We urge that there should not be any sacred cow in the investigation process. The investigation should also be concluded quickly and on time too.
“We demand that anyone found culpable, should be prosecuted in a court of competent jurisdiction in the country, as there is no immunity against prosecution provided for any lawmaker in the nation’s constitution,” it said.
The group also called for quick resolution of the leadership crisis currently rocking both chambers of the National Assembly.