FG’s Lawyer explains why forgery charges against Saraki, Ekweremadu were dropped

2 principal officers of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki, and Ike Ekweremadu, as well as a former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and a former Deputy clerk, Ben Efeturi, were arraigned before Justice Yusuf Halilu on June 10, 2016 on charges bordering on forgery of the Senate rules, to which they all pleaded not guilty. The charges were however dropped yesterday and the Lead counsel to the Federal Government has just explained the reason.At Friday’s resumed hearing, lead counsel to the government, Aliyu Umar, SAN, informed thetrial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Jabi Division of the High Court of the Federal CapitalTerritory, FCT, that the charges were dropped due to a pending case related to the charges beforethe Federal High Court in Abuja.According to Umar, “This government respects the rule of law, and hierarchy of the judiciary. Itis obvious from these two applications (filed by Saraki and Ekweremadu) and the similar casebefore your learned brother, Justice Kolawole, at the Federal High Court who is dealing with theissue that we are withdrawing the charges.“It is trite that two matters of the same subject matter cannot be before different courts ofcoordinate jurisdiction.“Therefore, the amended charge dated October 5, 2016, and also the original dated June 10,2016, and filed the same date be struck out and all the four defendants be discharged.”Following the application for the withdrawal of the suit, Justice Halilu struck out the case.