Mace snatching report dead, says Senate

By Sanni Onogu, Abuja

The Senate on Sunday said that the report of the Ad hoc Committee that probed alleged snatching of the Mace is dead.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Godiya Akwashiki, said that the alleged mace theft happened during the life of the eight Senate.

Akwashiki noted that any report or Bill that was not concluded before the lapse of the eight Senate cannot be revisited.

He said that it was the responsibility of the eight Senate that set up the probe panel to have considered the report.

On April 18, 2018, some hoodlums invaded the Senate and took away its mace which is its symbol of authority.

After the invasion, there were insinuations that the Senator representing Delta Central and incumbent Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege had a hand in the invasion.

Akwashiki said: “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.

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“If it is a bill that was passed but not assented to, or any other uncompleted bill, have 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 it 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.”

A judgement of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja High Court on June 18, 2019 absolved Omo-Agege of complicity in the said invasion.

Justice O. A. Musa in the judgement said: “There is no iota of evidence indicating that Senator Ovie Omo-Agege stole the Mace and invaded the Senate.”

He ruled that the “allegation is more of his accomplices perpetuating the act, which has not been proved.

“It is therefore wrong for any person or authority within the Federal Republic of Nigeria to print, publish or circulate in the media or social networks that Omo-Agege led thugs to invade the Senate.”