Court strikes out contempt charge against Saraki, others

The Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday struck out the contempt charge seeking to commit the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki to prison over alleged refusal to pay salaries and allowances of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. The judge struck out the charge following the confirmation that the outstanding salaries and allowances due to Omo-Agege have been settled fully by the senate. Counsel to Omo-Agege, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), who confirmed the settlement of the salaries and allowances subsequently applied for the withdrawal of the contempt charge filed against Saraki and others. Izinyon praised the leadership of the senate under Saraki for the respect shown to the rule of law with the prompt payment of his clients entitlement. He said: “The Court on October 11 granted adjournment for definite hearing of committal proceedings and ordered that the processes be served on the respondents. “Last Friday, at about 2pm, one of the special assistants to the Senate President said the cheques were ready, he came with 9 cheques which I acknowledged and gave to my client, who informed me that there was a shortfall of about N6m.” Izinyon told the court that the senate after admitting that the shortfall was occasioned by an error has made the payment in full to his client. Efut Okoi, Counsel to Saraki, told the court that his client as a law abiding citizen effected the payment of the salaries and allowances in compliance with the order of the court and urged others to emulate the gesture. He however did not oppose the application for withdrawal of the contempt charge. Justice Dimgba, accordingly struck out the motion dated August 15. Senate confirms Kaduna nominee as NPC commissioner (2) Taiye Odewale Abuja After initial refusal to approve his nomination for appointment as a commissioner of the National Population Commission (NPC), the senate yesterday gave Dr. Abdulmalik Mohammed Durnnguwa a clean bill of health to serve in the commission. This followed the presentation of the report of the committee on National Identity Card (NIC) and National Population Commission (NPC) by its Chairman, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (PDP, Kaduna North) during plenary. The upper legislative chamber had last Thursday stood down the confirmation of Durnnguwa, who is from Kaduna out of the 23 nominees whose names were sent by President Muhammadu Buhari to the lawmakers for screening and confirmation in April. Durnnguwa’s nomination was not recommended for approval by the Hunkuyi committee due to issues raised about his West African Examination Certificate, (WAEC) while the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki referred the matter back to the committee for further legislative action. Presenting the committee’s report yesterday, Hunkuyi said Durnnguwa appeared before the committee with two letters on the areas for which clarification were demanded the nominee. One of the letters, he said, came from the Ministry of Education, Katsina state, where the secondary school he attended is domiciled, while the other came from the school. Hunkuyi said the committee was satisfied with the contents of the two letters confirming that the nominee did obtain his O’ Level certificate from the school. However, the Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti South) raised some age issues in the nominee’s curriculum vitae, (CV) which sparked heated arguments among some All Progressives Congress, (APC) and People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) lawmakers. Senator Olujimi argued that Durnnguwa could not have finished secondary school at the age of 10 as stated in his CV. The minority leader added that it was impossible for the nominee to get the Grade II certificate and the National Certificate of Education, NCE within less than 10 years after leaving secondary school. She said: “Mr. President, there is something intrinsically wrong in this and we need to sort it out before we pass it”. In a sharp reaction, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North) countered Olujimi, accusing her of playing politics with the matter. Also, Senator Adamu Aliero (APC,m Kebbi Central), said the minority leader’s opposition was uncalled for since the issues raised by her had already been addressed by the committee. In his contribution, the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North), said the issues raised by Olujimi were not partisan as alleged by his colleagues, but expressed believe that the committee did due diligence on the matter. In his ruling, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, put the matter to a voice vote, and it was approved by majority of the lawmakers.

Leave a Reply