By Toye Faleye
Barrister Wale Ogunade of Voters Awareness Initiative said the Senate’s lack of locus standi forced the members of the chamber to beat a retreat.
Ogunade who commented as reactions trailed the withdrawal of the Senate suit from the Supreme Court noted that the case would have been thrown out had it not been withdrawn.
Ogunade added that even if the Senate hire the best lawyer in the town, they will not win.
“They are not the direct party, so they don’t have business in suing the Federal Government. However, it is not the Senate that is behind the case but the Senate President himself.”
But, Yinka Odumakin, the spokesperson of Afenifere differs, saying it is not that the Senate feared that it might lose at the Supreme court, but that it has left the matter for the National Judicial Council (NJC). He added: “It was the President that is acting recklessly, but we will further wait for the NJC on what it will decide.
In a statement today by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Spokesperson to Dr. Bukola Saraki, Senate President, the Nigerian Senate discontinued the case which had been slated for hearing on Tuesday as proof of its trust “in the ability of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to resolve the issues.”
The Senate had approached the Supreme Court to get clarification on the constitutionality of the President’s action to suspend the Chief Justice. Onnoghen was suspended by President Mohammadu Buhari on a directive by the Code of Conduct Tribunal before which he is standing trial over allegations of fraudulent declaration of assets.
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