Police has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh of opening their mouth too wide, by telling blatant lie just to deceive members of the public.
Deputy Police Public Relations Officer of the police, Abayomi Shogunle, made it abundantly clear that the Police did not send any invitation to any senator, much more the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP, as alleged yesterday by Metuh.
PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh had raised alarm yesterday at a news briefing that some senators loyal to the leadership of the APC have concocted a petition to the Nigerian Police against the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
But, Shogunle admitted that the Police wrote a letter, but to the Clerk of the Senate, requesting him to arrange a meeting with some principal senators. He made clear that there were “no plans to arrest the Deputy Senate President as stated.”
He also admitted that one of the distinguished senators had sent a petition to the Inspector-General of Police in which allegations were made that the rules and standing orders have been unlawfully amended or changed illegally and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) referred the matter to the Deputy IGP in charge of Force CIID in Abuja.
“In line with the policy thrust of the present Police leadership to gather evidence before bringing people whom allegation have been made against into the Police Station, the DIG Force CIID wrote a letter to the Clerk of the Senate in which the Police have requested the Clerk of the Senate to arrange a meeting between the Police investigating team and some principal Senators.
“The letter clearly states that the Clerk should facilitate the meeting by choosing a convenient time and place for the Police team to meet with some of these distinguished Senators.”
Shogunle said that the Police did not send any invitation at all. ”We have respect for democratic bargains. The Police have not sent any invitation to any senator.”
The APC has also reacted to the PDP allegation, saying that the party did not write any petition, neither is it aware that any petition was written against the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
This was even as the former Special Adviser to President Shehu Shagari, Tanko Yakasai, has jumped into the controversies, accusing President Muhammadu Buhari, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the invitation of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, by police over allegations of forgery.
Yakasai said the police invitation came at the prompting of the President and the APC, and warned that it portends danger for Nigerian democracy.
Yakasai in Kano that what the APC and President Buhari were doing with regards to the emergence of the deputy senate president, was an act desperation that will not auger well for the nation’s democracy.
He accused President Buhari and APC leaders of lacking the basic knowledge of the norms and rules of legislative chambers, adding: “I think the problems here is that neither Buhari, nor Oyegun or any serious member of the APC are truly aware of the basic knowledge of the national assembly. They should use this chance to have some knowhow of the settings and rules therein.”
Yakassai said although the election of principal officers of the national assembly is done by a simple majority, their removal requires the participation of all members.
He said that removing Ekweremadu now would be a dangerous scenario that would not even work [myad]
