Allegations against Omo-Agege may be probed- Senate spokesman

Should a petition be properly forwarded to the Senate, the upper chamber may comnence a probe into allegations levelled against its deputy president, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

But presently, the Senate will remain unconcerned about any insinuation against the Delta senator which is still in the realm of rumour and politically motivated.

The chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Godiya Akwashiki, gave this indication on Tuesday while fielding questions from journalists at the National Assembly.

The senate spokesman said such allegations which he belelieved to be politically sponsored are not new in political circles and politicians do dismiss such with a wave of hand for lacking in substance and credibility.

Akwashiki said if petition has not been forwarded to the Senate Petitions and Privileges Committee, such allegations remains a hearsay and the legislature as an institution of goverment does not trade in rumour.

He categorically stated that a petition is properly served through the Petitions Committee, and it behoves on the legislature to investigate such allegations.

However, findings by the Daily Times revealed that a petition is being prepared to be properly routined through the Committee and a probe may commence sooner than expected.

It was further gathered that Omo – Agege may be forced to step down from his position as deputy senate president pending the probe by the upper chamber.

Akwashiki even confirmed that the level of allegations against the deputy senate president differs from that of Senator Elisha Abbo accused of assaulting a lady last year, hence handling of both cases will differ.

The Daily Times recalls that the Guardians of Democracy and Development, Partners for Legislative Agenda for Nigeria (PLAN), Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative and their partners under the Coalition of Civil Society and Youth Groups in Nigeria early this year called for the immediate resignation of the Deputy President of the Senate – Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

The coalition made the call “owing to available evidence that he was convicted by The State Bar Court of the State of California, Los Angeles, USA in case No. 94-C-14401. Furthermore, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege willfully concealed the fact of the said conviction from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian Senate thereby contravening the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the Rules of the Senate.

“Incontrovertible documentary evidences available to us reveal that sometime in April 22, 1996, Augustine O. Omo-Agege believed to be one and the same Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege was ordered to be suspended from the practice of Law following his conviction for violating California Penal Code section 470, a felony criminal offence involving moral turpitude, under the authority of subdivision (a) of rule 951, California Rules of Court”.

The coalition said it was perturbed at the fact that Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege concealed all these information from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), thus he was allowed to participate in the general election (contrary to Constitutional provisions) that produced him as Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District.

It added that “In violation of the Senate Rules, he also concealed the said information from the Nigerian Senate thereby paving the way for his emergence as Deputy President of the Senate. All these have resulted in the denigration of the image and esteem of the Nigerian Senate before the international body of legislators”.