Posted on: 04:20 Wed, 13 Jul 2016



Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami has said that the forgery suit levelled against Senate President Bukola Saraki, his deputy Ike Ekweremadu and two presiding officers of the Senate has been filed by the Federal Government before he assumed office as AGF.

Malami who honoured the Senate’s summon today appeared before the House committee on Judiciary, human rights and legal matters which was chaired by David Umaru.

He stated that while he was appointed AGF in November 2015, the case was filed in July.

Malami said: “I wish to state here that I am in support of democracy and I will do anything within the constitution to preserve the democratic processes. I was appointed on the 12th day of November 2015, that is precisely about four months. As at the time I came to office, the report was concluded.

“The case was instituted before the court for the sustenance of the rule of law but not in any way to truncate the democratic process.”

Malami went on to state that once a matter is in court, neither the executive or the legislature can look into it.

“It will be overreaching on my part to make any insinuation on the case, “Malami added.

At this point members of the committee asked the AGF if the charges were filed for the sake of public interest and if they were in accordance with due process.

Responding, Malami said the suite was filed based on public interest and justice.

According to him, the senate standing orders 2015 amendment did not pass through the traditional procedure.

He added that if the standing orders did not come through the right procedures, it becomes criminal, which is in breach of section 60 of the Nigerian constitution.