The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris had been advised by the Senate President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki to honour its invitation to defend himself against allegations of abuse of office levied against him if he has nothing to hide.
The leader of the ad-hoc committee, Senator Francis Alimikhena threatened to invoke necessary constitutional provisions to compel the IG to appear before it.
But in his response, Ibrahim Idris wrote the committee to inform members that he could not appear before it because the matter under investigation before the court.
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Saraki who was reacting to a point of order raised by Alimikhena that the IGP failed to honour the invitation of his committee, re-echoed the panel’s position that no court can stop the Senate from performing its constitutional duties.
The Senate President noted that several judicial pronouncements had made it clear that no court can stop the Senate from carrying out its duties.
Saraki said: “As the chief law enforcement officer, he should know what the law is and he should know that he cannot stop the Senate from doing its job. There are several judicial pronouncements on this issue and I expect him to know these things.
“He should be advised to do the right thing and appear before the Senate. If you have nothing to hide, you should appear before the committee like any other Nigerian.â€
Alimikhena briefed the Senate on the position taken by his committee.
The Edo North lawmaker told the Senate that his committee was asked to jettison the investigation of the police boss.
He said that the Idris, through his lawyer, Mr. Alex Izinyon told the committee that the matter the IGP was invited for was already in court.
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He said that the committee was going ahead with the investigation.
“I want to inform the Senate that IGP failed to appear before the committee. The committee received a letter from his lawyer. We were told to suspend it or keep it in abeyance. The letter from the lawyer cannot stop us from performing our roles,†he said.
He added, “Most of the allegations levelled against him (IGP) and virement was not part of what they went to court. This committee was constituted before the IGP went to court. The court case will not deter our committee because following the principle of separation of powers no court can stop our committee.
“We will invite him again next Tuesday. There are issues about virement in the 2017 budget which Misau also raised. We need him to respond to these allegations. We will invite him again and he will appear before us. If he fails to appear, we will invoke Section 89 of the 1999 constitution, as amended to compel him to appear,â€Alimikhena said on Wednesday.
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