BREAKING! Government drops criminal charges against Saraki, Ekweremadu

The federal government has filed a petition to withdraw the charge of criminal conspiracy against Senate President Bukola Saraki and his Deputy Ike Ekweremadu.


An affidavit has been filed before the High Court of federal capital territory by Odubu Loveme, the litigation officer from the federal ministry of justice on Thursday.

An amended charge now include the names of Salisu Maikasuwa, the former clerk of the National Assembly, and Ben Efeturi, a former deputy clerk.

Both were arraigned alongside Saraki and Ekweremadu on June 10, 2016. The four pleaded not guilty on July 27, 2016.

The amended charge reads in part: “Salisu Maikasuwa and Benedict Efeturi, on or about the 9th day of June 2015 at the National Assembly Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court agreed to do an illegal act, to wit to make the Senate Standing Orders 2015 as amended without the authority of the 7th Senate of the Federal republic of Nigeria which act was committed by yourselves and that you thereby committed the offence of criminal conspiracy.”

Messrs Maikasuwa and Efeturi are accused of:

– Fraudulently amending the 2015 Senate standing orders without the authority of the 7th Senate.

(with intention that the senators elect of the 8th Senate would believe that the said senate standing orders 2015 (as amended) was made by the authority of the 7th Senate of the federal republic of Nigeria.)

– Forging a document and giving false information with the intention to mislead the public

The court had on September 28 adjourned the matter to Friday, October 7, for commencement of hearing.

Counsel to the federal government on the matter Aliyu Umar, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has stated that the court has authority to permit the amendment based on the provisions of Section 216 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

It reads: “A court may permit an alteration or an amendment to a charge or framing of a new charge at any time before judgment is pronounced.”

He also quoted Section 216 (3): “Where a defendant is arraigned for trial on an imperfect or erroneous charge, the Court may permit or direct the framing of a new charge, or any amendment to, or the alteration of the original charge.”