You Have No Powers to Summon Me - Lamorde Fires at Senate

Ibrahim Lamorde has refused to appear before the Senate committee probing allegations that he stole trillions of Naira claiming the legislative chambers has no power to summon him.

Ibrahim Lamorde

 

Embattled former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde has challenged the right of the Senate to summon him over corruption allegation. 

 

Lamorde filed a suit challenging the powers of the Senate to summon him over alleged corruption to the tune of N1 trillion.

 

In the suit filed by his counsel Festus Keyamo before a Federal High Court in Abuja, Keyamo wants the court to determine whether in view of the provisions of Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution the senate committee can invite him over issues surrounding an office he has vacated.

 

He also wants the court to determine whether in view of Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution, the committee can prevent his counsel from appearing on his behalf “only for the purpose of raising objection to procedural defects in the invitation to the Plaintiff to appear before the 2nd defendant.” 

 

Those joined as defendants are: the Senate, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS). No date has been fixed for hearing. 

 

It would be recalled that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions had on November 17 ordered Lamorde to appear unfailingly on November 24 to answer to allegation of diversion of N1 trillion recovered corruption loot after he failed to appear in person.