VANGUARD
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, declined to stop security agencies from investigating the lawmaker that hitherto represented Bauchi North in the Senate, Adamu Bulkachuwa, following a confessional statement he made during a valedictory session that was held by the 9th National Assembly.
Bulkachuwa, whose wife, Zainab, is the immediate past President of the Court of Appeal, had in his speech at the ceremony that held on June 10, admitted that he persuaded his wife to help some of his colleagues that had cases in court.
Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Bulkachuwa, said: “I look at faces in this chamber whom have come to me and sought for my help when my wife was the President of the Court of Appeal.
“And I must thank particularly, my wife, whose freedom and independence I encroached upon while she was in office, and she has been very tolerant and accepted my encroachment, and extended her help to my colleagues.
“I did my best and in most cases I succeeded,” the lawmaker stated, before his speech was interrupted by the then Senate President, Ahmed Lawan.
However, following a barrage of criticisms that trailed his speech, Senator Bulkachuwa quickly approached the court to stop security agencies from arresting or inviting him for questioning.
Cited as 1st to 5th defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/895/2023, were; the Attorney-General of the Federation, Clerk of the NASS, the State Security Service, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, as well as the Nigeria Police Force.
He prayed the court to declare that he was “covered, privileged and protected by the parliamentary immunity as enshrined in Section 1 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act 2017 and freedom of speech and expression made thereto is privileged.”
The plaintiff equally urged the court to declare that without exhausting the internal disciplinary mechanism, recommendations and approval of the 9th House of Senate, “no other law enforcement agent of the Federal Government, including the defendants, can invite any member of the Senate for questioning/interview and or for any disciplinary purposes in relation to the plaintiff’s privileged inchoate expression/statement/speeches made on the floor of the Nigeria House of Senate at the valedictory session.”
