We won’t probe Omo-Agege for mace-snatching – Senate

The current 9th Senate has said the mace-snatching incident which occurred during the 8th Senate session cannot be revisited.

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) who is currently the Deputy Senate President was alleged to have led political thugs into the upper legislative chamber in 2018 and carted away the authority symbol of the red chamber.

TODAY POLITICS recalls the incident occurred during the reign of Bukola Saraki as the Senate President despite belonging to the ruling party then.

Mr Saraki emerged the President of the 8th Senate largely due to his alliance with his colleagues who are members the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The mace-snatching incident is one of the several attempts by the APC to indirectly oust the top lawmaker from his position but the move met brick walls.

The report of a joint panel set up by the then leadership of the two legislative chambers at the National Assembly was not considered due a suit instituted by Omo-Agege who feared he might be suspended for the invasion.

Addressing the issue on Saturday, Godiya Akwashiki, who is the spokesperson of the current 9th Senate,  says the report on the incident will not see the light of the day because it transpired during the last Senate session.

Mr Akwashiki was responding to recent requests by some civil society groups demanding the resignation of the incumbent Deputy Senate President for allegedly leading thugs into the red chamber.

“As far as I am concerned, anything that affects the life of the 8th National Assembly, any uncompleted report has expired with the life of the last Assembly,” the Senate spokesperson said in a interview.

“If it is a bill that was passed but not assented to, or any other uncompleted bill, it has expired with the life of the 8th Assembly.

“As far as the 9th National Assembly is concerned, even if we want to enact a bill, we have to start afresh.

“Any unresolved issue in the 8th Assembly has gone forever. So, the implication is that the report of mace-snatching has gone with the 8th Senate,” Akwashiki added.