Senate to Consider Motion Questioning Constitutionality of Executive Orders

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The Senate on Tuesday stepped down a motion to summon the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malawi, SAN, to appear before it and explain the constitutionality of the Executive Order 006 signed last week by President Muhammadu Buhari.

It however resolved to hear the motion another day due to the absence of its sponsor.

The motion titled “Alarming Rise In Cases of Alleged Human Rights Violations and Consistent Assault on the Provisions of the 1999 Constitution by the Executive” sponsored by Senator David Umaru (Niger East), had to be stepped down because the sponsor was not at the plenary session.

Although the motion was on the Order Paper for Tuesday, the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Na’Allah, said the motion would be moved another day due to the absence of the sponsor.

The two-page motion seeks to summon Malami to appear before the Senate in plenary “to explain the constitutional basis for the controversial Executive Order No.006 and the other Executive Orders which have been issued by the President in clear usurpation of the law making functions of the National Assembly “.

The motion further called on federal government to resist from further violation of the sacred principle of separation of powers and adopt the rule of law as the guiding principle of government actions.

The motion also called on federal government to as a matter of urgency set up a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate all cases of human rights abuses “allegedly committed by both the Police and Army and other security agencies in the course of discharging their duties with a view to identifying the culprits and victims and offering redress where necessary “.

The federal government, according to the motion, should establish necessary structures for the protection of all constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens and observed by security and law enforcement agencies in the discharge of their duties.