Below are the fourteen witnesses to be called and what they will tell the court.
Fourteen witnesses and what they will tell the court
1. Suleiman Hukunyi
– He is the secretary of the Unity Forum, the Senate caucus consisting
of All Progressives Congress lawmakers who opposed the election of Mr.
Saraki, preferring Ahmed Lawan instead. Days after the election of
Messrs Saraki and Ekweremadu as the Senate presiding officers, he
petitioned the Inspector General of Police, demanding criminal
investigation into the allegation of forgery of Senate Rules.
The
main thrust of the petition which would later land Mr. Saraki and his
alleged conspirators in trouble was that the Standing Rules used for
2015 inauguration “purports to allow for secret instead of the open
ballot system that has been prevalent in all Senate elections as
permitted by the extant rules.” The infraction, he told the Police,
arose from the “fraudulent production of rules without an approved
consideration by the 7th Senate.” Mr. Hukunyi, according prosecution’s
documents, including proof of evidence filed before the court, will
testify how the
“forged” Rules were distributed to the Senators and also “tender some exhibits.”
2. Ita Enang
– Now presidential senior assistant on Senate matters, he was in the
7th Senate, representing Akwa Ibom North, and serving as the Chairman of
the Rules and Business. In January, he was accused of complicity in the
“missing” 2016 budget during the budget impasse. Specifically, he was
accused of “doctoring” the budget proposal which had earlier been
presented by President Muhammadu Buhari. Contacted in the wake of the
allegation by PREMIUM TIMES, he said he was between “my two bosses,”
preferring not to refute or admit the charge.
In the forgery suit
brought against the Senate leaders, he “will tell the court the position
of the Senate Standing Order 2011 vis a vis purported Standing Order
2015.” Further, the Federal Government will rely on him to testify that
the “proposal for the amendment of the 2011 Senate Standing Order was
neither considered nor adopted.”
3. Solomon Ewuga – He was
a member of the 7thSenate. He did not return to the 8th Senate, having
pursued a failed governorship ambition in Nasarawa State. He is expected
to “tell the court what he knows of the Senate Standing Order 2011” and
“shall testify that the 7th Senate did not amend the 2011 Senate
Standing Order.
4. Ogozy Nma – A National Assembly
bureaucrat who is the Secretary Committee on Rules and Business. The
Rules and Business Committee is regarded as the “life wire” of the
legislature as it is responsible for scheduling of legislative
businesses, including amendment of rules. By virtue of Mr. Nma’s
schedules, the Federal Government wants him to tell the court “what he
knows of the forged Senate Standing Order.” He might be required to
tender some exhibits in court.
5. Daniel Adem – He is the
Secretary of the Directorate of Legal Services of the National Assembly.
He will also tell the court what he knows of the Senate Standing Order.
6. Dan’Azumi Doma
– He led the investigation of the alleged conspiracy and forgery as the
Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of CIID. He will tell the
court how the case was investigated and the outcome of the
investigation. In his report, he had said the Senate Rules were actually
altered with valid procedures stipulated by the extant rules that are
the 2011 Rules. He will most likely tender the police investigative
report before the court.
7. Ahmed Lawan – He was supported
by the APC leadership to contest the Senate leadership position against
Mr. Saraki. He was defeated. And Mr. Saraki refused to appoint him
Senate Leader as demanded by the leadership of the ruling APC. In his
statement to the police, he said, “The procedures for election into the
two presiding offices are clearly stipulated in Order 2 (2(i) of the
Senate Standing Rules 2011. That contrary to the provision of the above
order, the Clerk to the National Assembly introduced and used order 3(3)
e (ii) of the purported 2015 Standing Order”. He will therefore inform
the court “that the Senate Standing Order 2011 was never amended”.
8. Abdullahi Gumel
– A serving Senator who supported Mr. Lawan’s ambition as member of the
Unity Forum, will inform the court that he was given the 2011 Rules
during the induction course of the 8th Assembly, yet a “forged” 2015
Rules was used for the inauguration of the 8thAssembly days after the
induction course.
9. Kabiru Marafa – The Zamfara Central
Senator is Mr. Saraki’s most outspoken and harshest critic in the
Senate. On different occasions, he asked Mr. Saraki to resign to “save
the image of the Senate” or that his colleagues should impeach him (Mr.
Saraki) in view of the Senate President’s corruption trial at the Code
of Conduct Tribunal. The Federal Government wants him to inform the
court that the 2011 Rules were never amended to prove that the 2015
Rules were altered “without procedure.”
10. Gbenga Ashafa –
The Lagos Senator will inform the 7th Senate did not amend the Rules,
thereby stating that 2015 Rules used for election of Messrs Saraki and
Ekweremadu was not valid, and as such the election was null and void.
11. Ajayi Boroffice
– The Ondo Senator known as loyalist of former Lagos Governor Bola
Tinubu will also inform the court that Senate Standing Order 2011 was
never amended.
12. Abu Ibrahim – He was the Deputy
Minority Whip in the 7th Senate. He will also inform the court the
document was not amended. It should be noted that he was part of the
leadership of the 7thSenate which, according to Mr. Efeturi, passed the
order to “amend” the Senate Rules.
13. David Igbodo – He
is an Assistant Commissioner of Police who was part of the
investigation. He will also inform the court how the case was
investigated and the outcome of the investigation.
14. Babafemi Ojudu
– He is a presidential adviser on political matter and served in the
7th Senate, representing Ekiti Central. He will inform the court that
the 7th Senate, of which he was member, did not amend the 2011 Rules.
Culled from FullGist.Com