Ndume, Omo-Agege to face National Assembly committee over Senate invasion, mace theft
By The Senate and House of Representatives Joint Ad-hoc Committee investigating the invasion of the Senate and theft of the mace, has summoned two senators to appear before it.
Their invitation followed accusations of their alleged involvement in the April 18 incident.
The senators are the immediate Senate Leader, Ali Ndume (APC, Borno State) and Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, Delta).
They are expected to appear before the panel on Wednesday, May 16, 2018.
Omo-Agege whose 90-day suspension by the Senate was voided by a Federal High Court in Abuja, was however, absent at plenary on Tuesday.
Chairman of the joint panel and Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, issued the summon at the committee’s meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.
The summons, he said, followed testimonies from heads of different security agencies within the National Assembly, alleging that Omo-Agege led seven unauthorised personnel into the upper legislative chamber and disrupted plenary, even as Ndume was alleged to have hindered the mace keeper from taking away the mace to safety.
Na’Allah said: “Based on the testimony of the sergeant at arms before the committee, you (Mr Ndume) are alleged to have prevented the mace keeper from taking away the mace to safety.
“The committee has, therefore, deemed it necessary to invite you in order to respond to that allegation.
“As regards Omo-Agege, based on the testimony of the DPO, the SSS and the sergeant-at-arms, you are alleged to have entered the National Assembly accompanied by seven persons who allegedly took the mace of the Senate during plenary session on April 18, at about 11:30 a.m.
“All those who testified, stated that the said people were cleared into the chamber based on your confirmation that they were with you.
“The committee, in pursuance of this, has deemed it necessary to formally invite you to respond to these allegations on Wednesday, May 16 at 11:00am”.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
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