According
to the advertorial, Muhammed argued that the Senate does not play a
role in the recall of a Senator after the process may have been
completed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Citing
relevant clauses in the Constitution at plenary, Ekweremadu noted that
the Kogi state Attorney-General spent over 12 million to 'display his
ignorance'.
"This morning my
attention was drawn to a three-page advertorial, pages 20, 21 and 22 of
the Leadership newspaper by the Attorney-General of Kogi state," Ekweremadu began.
"He
was responding to my contribution on the floor of the Senate when
Senator Dino Melaye informed this Senate of the efforts of the people of
his constituency to recall him.
"I
want to advise that the people of Kogi state and indeed his
constituents should better apply their time to more useful venture in
view of the very difficult conditions of recall of parliamentarians and
in reference to the attorney-general, I did say that my learned friend
may not have advised the people or indeed the government appropriately.
"So
this morning Kogi state government took an advertorial to respond to me
and I understand that every page cost about N700,000 for these alone
they spent about N2 million and I understand that it is on about five
other papers so we are looking about N12 million spent to responding to
my comment. Meanwhile, what I say here is supposed to be a privilege
that is what the law says.
"Finally,
I must put on record that legal opinion of Senator Ekweremadu on the
role of the Senate in the recall process, the Senate has no role
whatsoever in the recall exercise than to receive the certificate under
the hand of the chairman of INEC stating that the provision of section
69 of the Constitution has been complied with see 68 h of the 1999
constitution as amended.
"I pity
the people of Kogi state that hired this kind of attorney-general and
this is unfortunate that it is paying a public servant and he is unable
to do a simple work looking at the constitution.
"We
must emphasise that 68 (2) is not part of the amendment since 1999.
This has been the original provision of the Constitution. It has nothing
to do with Dino or whoever. It has been there since 1999 for him not to
know about it - I don't know where he went to law school anyway.
"If he has been properly educated I believe he should have been conversant with the basic provisions of the constitution.
"I'm
even his senior at the bar, he ought to show some respect because that
is what we are taught at the law school to respect our senior.
"But
for the avoidance of doubt I want to believe I have better credentials
in the legal profession and my interest was constitutional law, I have a
doctorate degree in law and my area is constitutional law, I have been
chairman of the constitutional review committee in this national
assembly since 2010.
"I expect
the attorney-general instead of displaying his ignorance, to call and I
educate him on the correct position of the law.
"So
I take I exception to this and I believe that he needs to refund the
amount spent on this to the people of Kogi I call on the house of
assembly to institute an enquiry on who paid for this and find a way of
receiving the money back to pay salaries of Kogi state," he added.
play
The recall register for Kogi Senator, Dino Melaye(Daily Post)
Describing the situation as unfortunate, Senate President Bukola Saraki advised the Kogi state government to use such funds to pay salaries of workers in the state.
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