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 y
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.
