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Tag: Senator Buruji Kashamu

  • ‘Fayose PDP number one destroyer’

    ‘Fayose PDP number one destroyer’

    The Senator representing Ogun East, Senator Buruji Kashamu, Thursday took a swipe at the 2019 presidential bid of Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose describing the governor as a joker.

    Kashamu also described Fayose as the number one destroyer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The lawmaker, who reacted to Fayose’s presidential campaign launch in Abuja, noted that the governor was only showing Nigerians how unreliable he is.

    He described as a huge joke Fayose’s presidential ambition insisting that “I tell you Fayose is not bidding for any presidential position come 2019.”

    Kashamu said: “He is a confusionist and number one destroyer of the party because how on earth would somebody who agreed with other party chieftains that the presidential ticket of the party for 2019 should be zoned to the North, now turn around to start campaigning for the same ticket as a Southerner and particularly as a South westerner to the detriment of the National Chairmanship ticket of the party already zoned to the area.

    “Lovers of our great party and politically minded Nigerians generally, should by this action of Fayose see him as the number one destroyer of the party and the most cantankerous politician in the polity who can at any time abuse anybody and go against agreed plans at any time.

    “I believe that am not the only one disturbed by Fayose’s agbero brand of politics but all political stakeholders in the land including those who followed him from Ekiti to grace his campaign launch because everybody knows that he is going nowhere come 2019 but just exercising his right in a funny way as a joker.”

    Kashamu slammed the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party under the leadership of Senator Ahmed Makarfi for allegedly issuing him query unreasonably.

    The lawmaker wondered why he was accused of instigating crisis in the Ogun State chapter of the party when he was in Abuja as a Senator representing the good people of Ogun East Senatorial District.

    He claimed that the query served him by the party which has been responded to has no substance but a pure mischief and a product of malice.

    He claimed that Makarfi who heads the party as National Chairman, Caretaker Committee, wanted to corner the 2019 presidential ticket of the party.

    He also accused Makarfi of working surreptitiously to ease out those he felt could challenge him.

    He said, “In fact, the December convention of the party may not hold due to Makarfi’s ambition. He is a chameleon pretending to have the interest of the party at heart but secretly executing his own personal agenda.”

  • PDP suspends Ubah, refers Kashamu to disciplinary panel

    PDP suspends Ubah, refers Kashamu to disciplinary panel

    The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah for one month. The party has also refereed Senator Buruji Kashamu to its disciplinary committee for action.
    Briefing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said Ubah, who was a governorship aspirant in Anambra State, got suspended for disregarding a query issued him by the leadership of the party.
    On Kashamu, Adeyeye said the leadership of the party had queried the senator representing Ogun East over some of his actions which the PDP considered inappropriate and detrimental to the stability of the party.
    Adeyeye said: “This week, we had some disciplinary issues regarding the issue of Anambra governorship primaries, in which one of the aspirants had launched a major attack against the leadership of the party in the media.
    “I am talking in the person of Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah who not being satisfied with the decision of the Governorship Appeal Panel, decided to launch a vitriolic attack on the leadership of the party and those who were involved in the conduct of the primary.
    “The National Caretaker Committee took a decision to issue him a query, asking him to retract the statement and to offer apology to those who have been disparaged by his remarks in the press.
    “He chose not to answer the query. Of course the query was issued under the relevant sections of the Constitution of the PDP. But he decided not to answer the query; consequent upon which the National Caretaker Committee today decided to suspend him for a period of one month and to refer the matter to the National Disciplinary Committee for further necessary action”.
    Adeyeye said of Kashamu, “He too was issued a query by the National Caretaker Committee some weeks ago. In his own case, he replied the query and denied some of the allegations made against him. He was basically saying that he is not responsible for some of those things for which he was accused of.
    “Consequently, the National Caretaker Committee also took a decision to refer his case to the National Disciplinary Committee for further necessary action”
    According to the party spokesman, the disciplinary committee is expected to submit its report within two weeks.
    Ubah was suspended for launching media attacks on members of the primary election committee set up the party to conduct the Anambra State governorship primaries. Mr. Oseloka Obaze won the primary election.
    The oil magnate had described the primary election as a “sham” and accused the leadership of the party of doctoring the delegates’ list for the primaries.
    According to him, the list of accredited delegates used for the primary election was different from the one the party submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
    Ubah had accused the chairman of the primary election committee, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State of manipulating the exercise by unilaterally pruning the number of delegates.
    He had challenged Obaze’s victory on the ground that the latter was still awaiting the party’s decision on his waiver application at the time the primary election was conducted.
    Ubah had threatened to take the PDP to court, following the failure of the party leadership and its various conflict resolution organs to address his complaints.
    “I was robbed of the PDP governorship ticket at the primary election and all my efforts to get redress from the leadership of the party, including the Appeal Panel and the Board of Trustees (BoT) failed to yield result”, Ubah had said.
    Apparently, Kashamu is being investigated for challenging the decision on the party leadership dissolving Ogun State executive committee in court.
    The party had, a few weeks ago, dissolved the state’s executive committee loyal to Kashamu and had set up a caretaker committee in its place.
    Kashamu had kicked against the decision of the party, an action that attracted a query from the party leadership.
    In response, the senator said the query was contemptuous of a subsisting court judgment relating to the leadership crisis in the Ogun State chapter.
    Kashamu’s response states in part, “I am extremely shocked by the content of your letter to the effect that I instigated the police to arrest and prefer criminal charges against certain party members whose names were mentioned in your letter.
    “This is more so because the issues raised in the letter practically have no direct bearing to me except to the extent that I am the leader and highest PDP political office holder in Ogun State.
    “First and foremost, I differ to the assertion that the Nigeria Police could be instigated into performing their statutory responsibilities. As a Nigerian lawmaker and Senator of the Federal Republic, I strongly believe in our institutions and thus have no doubts about the professionalism and capability of the Nigeria Police to perform their functions should the need arise”.
  • Alleged threat to life: Let Kashamu submit self for investigation, IGP tells court

    Alleged threat to life: Let Kashamu submit self for investigation, IGP tells court

    …Court to rule June 6

     

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Wednesday told a Federal High Court in Abuja to direct Senator Buruji Kashamu (representing Ogun East Senatorial District) to submit himself for interrogation in relation to allegation of threat to life made against him by a House of Representatives member, representing Ikenne, Sagamu and Remo North Federal Constituency in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu.

    The IGP made the request while objecting to a suit by Kashamu, seeking among others, to restrain the Police and Department of State Services (DSS) from arresting and transporting him to the United States for trial on drug related offences.

    Adopting IGP’s written submissions Wednesday, David Igbodo, who represented the IGP, said the fundamental rights suit by Kashamu was intended to frustrate ongoing police investigation of the petitions by Adebutu and the applicant (Kashamu) in which they made allegations and counter-allegations against each other.

    He said Adebutu was the first to petition the IGP, accusing Kashamu of threatening his life in a hotel in Port-Harcourt. He said Kashamu equally filed a counter petition.

    Igbodo noted that while Adebutu has made statement to, and been interrogated by the investigating panel constituted by the IGP to investigate the petitions, Kashamu refused to, but instead filed the suit, alleging of plot to transport him to the US on drug related cases.

    Igbodo said: “Our contention is that the issue of drug has nothing to do with the incident that happened in Port Harcourt and on which the petitions being investigated relate. We urge this court to refuse this application and urge the applicant to make himself available to investigators to make his statement.”

    Lawyer to Adebutu, Ehi Uwaifo, argued in similar manner and urged the court to refuse Kashamu’s application and ask him to submit himself for interrogation in relation to allegations contained in the petition against him.

    Although the DSS was absent during proceedings, Igbodo drew the court’s attention to the counter affidavit it filed and its prayer that the court rejects Kashamu’s application, which the court adopted in the absence of any lawyer representing the DSS.

    Earlier while arguing his client’s case, Kashamu’s lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede urged the court to grant the prayers contained in the application.

    Oluyede said the complaint made by the 3rd respondent (Adebutu) against the applicant (Kashamu) has been dismissed by the Police, through a report signed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, to the effect that the complaint was found to be baseless.

    He said despite the fact that the police report showed that there is no basis for the arrest of the applicant any more, one Sergeant Tanko Mohammed, who is under the control of the IGP was still insisting that Kasahmu must appear before the investigating panel, which he (Mohammed) is a member.

    Oluyede, who noted that the DSS has said, in its counter-affidavit, that it was not part of the plot to arrest Kashamu, urged the court to hold the assertion as undertaking against the 2nd def (DSS) that they are not going to join the conspiracy to arrest the applicant.

    After the lawyers adopted their written submissions, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba adjourned to July 6 for judgment.

     

  • Kashamu faults Makarfi’s call for alternative platforms

    Kashamu faults Makarfi’s call for alternative platforms

    A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Buruji Kashamu has faulted the call by the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee on members to seek alternative platform for their political aspirations.

    Kashamu, who represents Ogun East in the Senate and a staunch member of the Ali Modu Sheriff camp, described Makarfi’s call as self-serving and disingenuous.

    In a statement he circulated in Abuja on Thursday, Kashamu called on party faithful to ignore the call, saying Makarfi’s statement amounted to anti-party activity.

    The statement said, “While it is true that a political party is an organization made up of people who voluntarily joined and could voluntarily exit, that call to decimate the PDP could come from those who seek to lead it leaves much to be desired.

    “It is most reprehensible when it is realized that the call is coming from those who had benefitted so much from the PDP as governors, ministers and lawmakers.

    “I dare say that their posture has not only shown their state of mind but it has also exposed them for who they are. It has shown that contrary to their claims, Senator Makarfi and his co-travellers never really had the interest of the PDP at heart.

    “They have not conducted themselves as true party men. If they were true party men, they would never seek to throw away the baby with the bath water.

    “There is no perfect relationship or organization anywhere. People, especially politicians, are bound to agree and disagree. We disagree, negotiate and build consensus”.

     

  • Don’t extradite Kashamu to US, Senate tells NDLEA, AGF

    Don’t extradite Kashamu to US, Senate tells NDLEA, AGF

    Senate on Tuesday asked the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Attorney General of the Federation and other security agencies not to extradite Senator Buruji Kashamu to the United States of America to answer questions on alleged drug trafficking.
     
    The upper chamber said that the NDLEA and others should allow all court processes concerning the matter of allegation of involvement in drug-related offence levelled against Kashamu to be concluded in line with the rule of law.
     
    The resolution followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions which considered the matter of alleged attempts to extradite the Senator to the US over allegation of drug offence.
     
    The report of the committee was in respect of a petition from TRLP Law on behalf of Senator Buruji Kashamu against the NDLEA, former Chairman of the NDLEA, Mr. Ahmed Giade and the Attorney General of the Federation for alleged intention to abduct Senator Buruji Kashamu and forcibly transport him to the United States without recourse to due process.
     
    The respondents in the petition were NDLEA, Attorney General of the Federation and Mr. Giade.
     
    Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu who presented the report said that Kashamu’s travail was being masterminded by some people.
     
    The Committee said that Kashamu should be allowed a free man until the cases in court over the allegations against him have been concluded. 
     
    Anyanwu said that NDLEA and the office of the Attorney General of the Federation have been orchestrating plans to arrest and take Senator   Kashamu to the US over alleged drug trafficking offences. 
     
    He noted that Kashamu should be left alone until cases in court are resolved.
     
    The Senate said that those behind the plot to extradite Kashamu to the US should stay action pending the outcome of the court processes.
     
    The Ethics Committee said that its investigations showed that “Kashamu’s travails were being masterminded by some people.” 
     
    The committee said that it discovered that Kashamu had been acquitted of all charges against him by courts in the country.
     
    In its findings and observations, the committee said: After listening fully to the petitioner and respondents, and having painstakingly considered their submissions, the committee observed:
     
    “That the respondents did not fully understand the kernel of the matter, and had to explain again to them that the aspect of Senator Kashamu’s matter referred to the committee for consideration and intervention was the constant threat or effort to get Senator Kashamu abducted by NDLEA, AGF, local and foreign collaborators in order that he might be shipped abroad, not the narcotic cases in various courts.”
     
    The committee therefore “noted that the respondents need to stay action on the arrest/kidnapping/abduction of Senator Buruji Kashamu to allow the legislator concentrate on his duties to the nation.”
     
    It asked the NDLEA not to “overlook the question of internal conspiracy within it since the intention, it appears, was how to extort money from Senator Kashamu.”
     
    The committee recommended: “Having exhausted deliberations on the matter, taking into consideration the views of the petitioner and respondents, the committee hereby recommend as follows:
     
    “That concerned agencies and authorities be advised to stop threatening or carrying out any activities to extradite Senator Buruji Kashamu to the United States of America for prosecution.
     
    “That the courts be allowed to handle the various aspects of the case before them without any interference.”
     
    The recommendations were adopted.
  • Lawmaker wants Fayose to restore peace in PDP before March

    Lawmaker wants Fayose to restore peace in PDP before March

    A member of Lagos House of Assembly, Mr Victor Akande, on Monday, urged the Chairman, PDP Governors’ Forum, Mr Ayodele Fayose, to broker peace in the party before the end of March.

    Akande, a PDP member, representing Ojo I Constituency in the house of assembly, told newsmen that Fayose should employ all measures to bring every stakeholder in the party on board.

    According to him, Fayose’s new position should be devoted to putting an end to all grievances in the party.

    He suggested that the new chairman of the forum should appeal to all aggrieved stalwarts, if need be, to reunite the party.

    “There is a very big task for him to accomplish and that task is to bring back PDP together on a common front.

    “Things have fallen apart and the centre cannot hold, but our centre must hold.

    “Fayose has a task of ensuring a lasting solution to all the political bickering in the party. He has now assumed a position where he has to begin to beg everybody, even those that do not share his ideology.

    “He must as a matter of urgency broker peace, beg and close ranks with everybody so as to put the party in a right perspective.

    “That is the challenge he must face between now and March to right the wrongs.

    “Fayose must learn how to beg now if PDP must come back,’’ Akande said.

    The lawmaker also urged Fayose to, as an individual, try and reconcile with everybody, including Chief Bode George, a former Deputy National Chairman; Senator Buruji Kashamu and others, to move forward.

    According to him, there is no permanent enmity in politics; every stakeholder counts and there is a need for all to sheath their swords.

    Akande, however, urged Chief George to work with Fayose in the interest of the party, saying, “Fayose is Bode George’s boy and there is no one of us who has not passed through Bode George one way or the other’’.

    “George is a father. He must continue to be a leader and an elder who should turn himself into a dustbin and accept all insults. That is a sign of leadership.

    “We should forget the past and continue to work for the progress of the party.

    “Fayose should hold Bode George as a father. Let’s forget about apportioning blames and close ranks.’’

    He urged members of the National Assembly on the platform of the party and other stakeholders to rally round Fayose in the party’s interest.

    Akande advised that all in-fighting must stop to position the party well for local government elections that would hold in some states like Lagos and Oyo soon.

    He commended Fayose and Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers for being at the forefront of performing roles of opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Gocernor Fayose was recently elected chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum and had started meeting with the party’s stakeholders.

  • Court refuses to stop Kashamu’s arrest

    Court refuses to stop Kashamu’s arrest

    ….Orders service of court documents on DSS, NPF

    A Federal High Court in Abuja Tuesday declined to grant an order sought by Senator Buruji Kashamu to restrain the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police (NPF) from arresting and extraditing  to the United States.

    Kashamu, a Senator Representing Ogun East, had through his lawyer, Godswill Mrakpor filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit and accompanied it with a motion ex-parte for injunction.

    He had sought to restrain the respondents from taking steps to arrest him pending the determination of the substantive suit.

    Tuesday, Justice Okon Abang declined to grant an ex-parte injunction.

    Instead, the judge ordered that the respondents be served with the motion and for them to attend court on the next adjourned date to show cause why Kashamu’s prayers, as contained in the ex-parte application, should not be granted.

    Kashamu, in a supporting affidavit, stated that the security agencies are acting based on a “politically motivated petition” authored by one Oladikupo Adebutu from Ogun State.

    He alleged that there were moves to arrest him and transport him to the US to face drug-related charges.

    Kashamu argued that the move to arrest and extradict him was contrary to orders earlier made by the Lagos division of the Federal High Court in two suits marked: FHC/ L/CS/49/2010 and FHC/L/CS/508/2015 which he had filed on the same issue.

  • Kashamu cautions PDP on convention

    Kashamu cautions PDP on convention

    The Senator representation Ogun East senatorial district, Senator Buruji Kashamu, has said that the proposed national convention slated for August 17 will not resolve the leadership crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    In a statement he circulated in Abuja Tuesday, Kashamu pleaded with elders in the party to find ways of uniting the Caretaker Committee headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi with the Ali Modu Sheriff faction.

    According to him, it would be better for the party to unite the two factions before going ahead with the proposed convention, warning that doing otherwise could worsen the crisis situation.

    The Makarfi committee, backed by the key organs of the party, including the PDP Governors, has resolved to go ahead with the convention in spite of the various conflicting court judgments and orders against both factions.

    Makarfi and Sheriff have continued to lay claim to the leadership of the party shortly after the botched May 21 Port Harcourt convention where Sheriff was replaced with Makarfi.

    Kashamu further warned that unless issues of the various conflicting court injunctions are fully addressed with the two factions in agreement, the outcome of the proposed convention may also become a subject of fresh litigation.

    The senator said, “Going to Port Harcourt for another national convention on August 17, without addressing the issues that have stuck out like a sore thumb might turn out to be an exercise in futility.

    “I appeal to all our leaders to wade into the crisis and resolve the issues. If we gloss over the issues and facts and go ahead to hold the proposed convention without resolving them, the perception of PDP as a lawless organisation will sink deeper and ultimately public opinion will be against us.

    “An air of palpable confusion pervades our party and the land, with one division of the court saying Makarfi’s appointment is right while another division of the same court says Sheriff is the authentic national chairman of our party.

    “We cannot continue like this. Already, the nomination (governorship) processes in Edo and Ondo States are being endangered by the current crisis.

    “It is incumbent on all well-meaning leaders and elders of the party to court Senators Sheriff and  Makarfi and look for a political solution to this crisis and resolve it, once and for all. Nothing is too much to give, if we truly love the party”.

    Kashamu noted that although there was no court injunction stopping the proposed August 17 convention, the reality of a pronouncement by a court in Abuja to the effect that the Makarfi committee cannot lawfully take actions on behalf of the PDP remained a source of grave worry.

    Besides the resources that might be wasted on the exercise, Kashamu said going ahead with the convention could also constitute contempt of some of the court injunctions on the part of the organisers.

    The lawmaker said these loopholes could easily be exploited by groups and individuals who are bent on frustration the efforts of the party to their own advantage.

    Said he, “They wait on the sidelines to analyse situations and then go to court when you least expected to procure orders and judgments that they use to exploit the system.

    Stressing the need for the party to guard against such pitfalls, Kashamu appealed to the party leaders to help put an end to the culture of impunity which has continued to plague the PDP.

    He stated that for peace to reign, party leaders and members should stop seeing themselves to be above the law

    “Thus, it is crucial for us to find a political solution to the leadership crisis, unite our people and resolve the issues so that the various court cases can be withdrawn. An assortment of court orders, rulings and judgments will only deepen the crisis and make it intractable,” he added.

    Kashamu enjoined party stakeholders to do the right thing so that when they are called to account for their actions, they will be found on the right side of history and the law.

  • Senate summons AGF over alleged plot to kidnap Kashamu to US

    Senate summons AGF over alleged plot to kidnap Kashamu to US

    The Senate Wednesday resolved to invite the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over alleged fresh plot to kidnap Senator Buruji Kashamu and ship him to the United States to face trial on alleged drug charges.

    Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions invited Malami following a petition to it by Kashamu through his solicitor Ajibola Oluyede.

    Senator Kashamu and Oluyede appeared before the committee Wednesday to defend and throw more light on the petition.

    Oluyede who spoke on behalf of Kashamu at the hearing said that the fresh plot to abduct Kashamu by unknown agents was revealed to them through a text message by an informant in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    He noted that the plot was to kidnap Kashamu or if abduction failed to shoot him.

    Oluyede said that their suspicion is that some interested parties in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation might have been perjured to facilitate the abduction of Kashamu to the US.

    He noted that the text massage was so credible that they have no alternative than to seek protection from the Senate.

    A member of the committee, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah wondered why those after Kashamu would want to shoot when a dead man could not be brought to face justice.

    He also said that allegation that Kashamu operates a drug factory does not add up since factories could be identified.

    Na’Allah noted that it looks as if there is internal conspiracy in the NDLEA if an officer could send such a message about the office he works.

    He suggested that since the Office of the Attorney General had been linked with the alleged plot to abduct Kashamu, the option left for the committee is to invite Malami to state the position of his office on the matter.

    Other members of the committee agreed.

    Chairman of the Committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, said that the Attorney General had already written the committee seeking a date within the month to appear before the committee on the issue.

    Oluyede later told reporters that “Recently it came to our attention that there were moves again, not to extradite him (Kashamu), but as the United States Government has a policy of rendition, rendition is forbidden by international law.

    “It is also even a criminal Act under the US law but the US Government does it and the Supreme Court of United States more or less allows it by saying that well if you come to our country illegally, it doesn’t matter to us, so long as you are here, we have jurisdiction over you and we will try you on any offence for which you are brought here.

    “So, on that basis the American security agencies often kidnap people and take them to the US to face what they call justice.

    “Most of the time they have only done it in what they call enemy territory and only against terrorists.

    “We have had only one instance in Nigeria where they have done rendition and that is against a motor dealer here, who was carried suddenly and exported to United States, Lanre Shittu.

    “Now this is what is being planned currently against Senator Kashamu and we have it on very good authority and you will see we have quoted from an agent of the NDLEA, a sympathetic agent.

    “He was even among those who were sitting in his bedroom with guns and wearing masks for six days.

    “There were some of them who were giving us information and till today, there are still people in the NDLEA who have conscience.

    “When they see any bad thing going on they want to be whistle blowers but we know there is a problem with being a whistle blower in Nigeria.

    “Unless Nigeria enacts a law that protects whistle blowers it will be difficult to really hold on to some of our public officers who are actually criminals who should not be in public office at all and that is why we are relying on information given to us by this informant and we have quoted that text that that is the plan.

    “Mr. Ahmed Giade was the chairman of the NDLEA at the time they invaded his house the first time to export him, the unsuccessful attempt.”

    Oluyede claimed Giade has been “meeting with them and even the office of Attorney General has told us that they warned him to stop.”

    “They wrote a letter and that letter is also in the bundle, telling NDLEA, we have this case in court you should not take any further step, don’t meet with the US officials anymore but the ambassador of the US came out unwittingly, voluntarily he told a newspaper that he is still meeting with Nigerian government officials for the purpose of the rendition of senator Kashamu.”

    He continued, “The only government official he could be meeting with is NDLEA officials and that is why we take this text very serious and now knowing this we have made further inquiries and  we have found out that is true because even  after Giade retired in December from NDLEA  his backers still got him into government.

    “He is almost 80 years old he should be in his village but his backers smuggled him into government as Special Assistant to the Attorney General on Narcotics.

    “This gives him a supervisory power over NDLEA even after removing him as chairman. He is still in control of NDLEA because the office of the Attorney General is the supervisory authority over NDLEA and it is in that capacity now.

    “He is at the centre of this move to carry out the rendition of senator Kashamu and there are many more information that are contained in the document.

    “The reason we are here is that the Senate should be able to look into this matter.

    “Yes, there are certain aspects of this matter pending in court but there are aspects of it that the court can never look at.

    “The court is not going to look into the internal workings of a government institution and find out whether those who have been appointed to hold office in that institution have carried out their duties in accordance with their remit or in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal  Republic of  Nigeria and the court  is not going to find out whether currently under the influence of a foreign power for the purpose  of  abducting, kidnapping  a senator , nobody is going to carry out  that investigation.

    “It is only this hallowed chamber that has the supervisory power  to look  into what the executive is doing  and find out whether the executive is actually complying either  with the statutes that emanates  from this chambers or even  with the constitution and you have the power to do that, to call people to order and say this is wrong.

    “You have the power to recommend to the president and say this officer who is in government is not operating appropriately and he ought to be dealt with.

    “The courts cannot do that, the courts cannot usurp the function of the legislature and the legislature cannot usurp the function of the court. We humbly appeal to you to take the appropriate action in this matter.”

    Oluyede said that a former Attorney General of the Federation was part of the conspiracy to abduct Kashamu.

    Anaynwu said, “We have heard his case and we have asked questions. Having heard from you  the Solicitor to Senator Kashamu, you may now leave and be rest assured that the committee has heard you and we  will hear from the other correspondents  and we will come up with a position on this issue.

    “Meanwhile I think it is obvious that when we make our investigation we will put down our report to the entire senate

    “We have to invite the parties involved and not in representative capacity to answer to the allegations.

    “This allegation concerns Giade and whatever the senate will arrive at he is equally going to be affected by it so it only fair that we hear from him.

    “This matter is before the senate and we think status quo should remain until we look at the issues in the petition and come up with a position.

     

  • Court bars AGF, NDLEA from seizing Kashamu’s properties

    Court bars AGF, NDLEA from seizing Kashamu’s properties

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday restrained the Federal Government from seizing Senator Buruji Kashamu’s properties over drug trafficking allegations.

    Justice Ibrahim Buba held that it would amount to abuse of powers for the respondents to infringe on Kashamu’s property rights without following due process.

    The judge, therefore, barred the Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the National Drug Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) from violating the senator’s rights to own property.

    Kashamu sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining NDLEA and the AGF from taking possession of his assets.

    The Senator said he learnt of moves by agents of the Federal Government to seize his properties, including a 24-flat housing estate at Egbe and several hectares of land on Lekki Peninsula, Lagos.

    According to him, he acquired the properties, which he said worth N20billion, by dint of hard work and through his legitimate business.

    He said contrary to NDLEA’s alleged claim, the properties were not proceeds of drug trafficking.

    The Senator said his right to own property as guaranteed by sections 43 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution would be breached if the respondents were not perpetually restrained.

    Ruling in his favour, Justice Buba held that since previous judgments stopping Kashamu’s extradition had not been discharged or vacated, the prosecution could not take steps against him when the restraining orders were still subsisting.

    He said the prosecution was bound to obey the orders until set aside by the Court of Appeal.

    “The judgments of this court are binding on the parties and on this court until set aside on appeal,” he held.

    Justice Buba said the Federal Government cannot seize Kashamu’s assets on the basis of the same allegations that had been decided upon by the court “whether rightly or wrongly.”