TheCable

Godiya Akwashiki, senate spokesman, says the senate is ready to investigate any petition against Ovie Omo-Agege, the number two man at the upper legislative chamber.

Akwashiki said this on Tuesday while fielding questions from reporters at the national assembly.

The spokesman had been asked if the senate would constitute a committee to investigate an alleged indictment of Omo-Agege.

The deputy senate president has been accused of forging a cheque in the US in 1995.

However, Omo-Agege has repeatedly denied the allegation, saying he has been cleared of the charge.

Responding to questions from reporters on the issue, the senate spokesman said the upper legislative chamber would not turn a blind eye to petitions.

“The issue of DSP just like any other person, I read in the news but I want to say here that I am speaking here for the 9th senate, I am not speaking for American court or judiciary as an arm of government in Nigeria. The issue of Elisha Abbo is similar but entirely different from the issue of the deputy senate president,” he said.

“We are senators and lawmakers, so we should be seen working within the purview of the law of the land. The issue of Elisha Abbo, somebody stood up and raised a matter of public interest, we discussed it and we set up a committee but because that matter is in the court of law, we said we should keep it in abeyance. There is nothing wrong with that.

“The issue of senate president is not even in Nigeria. I don’t know anything about it. We are Senators, if somebody petitions the DSP to the committee on petition, I want to assure you, we will look into it. For now, it is not an issue of the senate.”