Presidency, Senate’s face-off gets messier, as Sagay says, House can’t summon him, it’s illegal

The battle of wits between the Presidency and the Senate took a new twist, yesterday, as the Senate summoned the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, for describing the lawmakers’ actions as childish and irresponsible.

The Senate asked Professor Sagay to appear before the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, led by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, PDP, Imo East, to clear himself of the allegation and explain why he insulted the Senate as an institution. 

L-R, Dogara, Saraki and President Buhari 

The committee was given four weeks to submit its report. In a reposte, Prof Sagay said the lawmakers cannot summon him and described the summons as illegal. This happened on a day  the Upper Chamber suspended former Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ndume over his petition calling for investigation into the allegation discrediting Senator Dino Melaye as a graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria.

It also cleared Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, over  the Range Rover SUV Customs duty scandal. Ndume’s suspension order followed the recommendation of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions which investigated the allegation.

Vanguard