The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus in the House of Representatives has described the withdrawal of forgery charges against Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu as a defeat to dictatorship and prevalence of principles of separation of powers.
A statement by Leo Ogor, Minority Leader of the House however cautioned lovers of democracy to be vigilant “knowing that where dictatorship is allowed to raise a chapel in democracy, it will not be long before it erects a cathedral.”
The caucus specifically warned the Federal Government to “eschew all future targeting of the opposition or those who hold contrary views to it” as “justice should find no foothold in the sanctuary of democracy.”
The statement reads in part:
“We commend the Federal Government for summoning up the courage to correct itself and right the grievous wrong done, not only to these gentlemen, but also to the institution of the National Assembly and nation’s image.
“This decision vindicates the observation of the House of Representatives in plenary in June this year that the entire forgery saga was a deliberate and concerted attack on the National Assembly to render it useless.
“Not only were the criminal charges a violation of the hallowed principle of Separation of Powers and in contempt of a pending litigation before the Federal High Court, Abuja, challenging the said police investigation and report, also our view that the names of hitherto accused persons could not be related in any way to the Proof of Evidence adduced by the AGF has been vindicated.
“With the distractions occasioned by these contrived and bogus charges over, we believe the National Assembly, especially the Senate, can now direct its total energies at the economic hardship facing the nation.
“Those entrusted with the people’s mandates must also understand the harm they do to the country’s image, democratic credentials, and prospects of foreign investments by their whimsical actions, vindictive trials, and utter disrespect for the rule of law and Separation of Powers.”
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