ABUJA – The trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and two others on alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rules has been postponed to Monday next week as it could not hold today, Tuesday, owing to inability of the court bailiff to serve the defendants properly.
They were billed to be arraigned before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
However, Justice Halilu has ordered substituted service on the defendants and fixed hearing for Monday.
The charges have now been pasted on the NASS notice board.
Saraki and Ekweremadu are being charged alongside the outgoing clerk of the National Assembly, Salishu Maikasuwa and Deputy Acting Clerk, Ben Efeturi.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malàmi, SAN, is prosecuting the four defendants on behalf of the Federal Government.
The charges filed against them reads in part:
“That you, Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, Benedict Efeturi, Dr. Olubukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, on or about the 9th of June, 2015, at the National Assembly complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, conspired amongst yourselves to forge the Senate Standing Order, 2011 (as amended) and you thereby committed the offence of conspiracy, punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Law.”
The Senate has not known peace since the emergence of the current Principal Officers.
Senate President, Bukola Saraki is believed to have worked against his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which favoured another candidate for the plum position of Nigeria’s Senate Presidency.
The ruling party is also angry with the Senate President, whom it believed made it possible for Ekweremadu from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to clinch the position of deputy Senate President.
