You Have No Power to Summon Me - Prof. Sagay Tells Senate

Prof. Itse Sagay has declined to honour the invitation by the Senate over his questionable comments about the activities of the Red Chamber members.

 

Professor Itse Sagay

 

Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay on Wednesday said the Senate lacks the power or authority to summon him to appear before its committee on Ethics over alleged disparaging remarks he made against the senators.

 

Speaking in a chat with INDEPENDENT, Sagay said the Senators lack the power to summon him because he does not fall under the category of persons they can summon.

 

His words “They have neither power nor authority to summon me. I don’t come within the group of persons or officials they can summon. I will advise them to ask their lawyers to look very, very closely at the provisions of Sections 82 to 89 of the Constitution”.

 

Sagay’s invitation is seen as further escalation of the current face-off between the Senate and Presidency which blew open on Tuesday with the Senate’s suspension of the consideration and confirmation of 27 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

The presidential aide is expected to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to explain why he allegedly described senators as “childish and irresponsible” for pushing President Buhari to sack the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, within two weeks.

 

The PACAC chairman is also expected to explain why he allegedly said the Senate is “filled with people of questionable character who put personal interest ahead of the nation.”

 

The lawmakers said it is necessary to invite the professor of jurisprudence to name the questionable characters in the Senate.

 

The resolution followed a motion of privilege by Senate Deputy Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South), who told the Senate that Sagay infringed on his integrity, character and privilege as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.