Nigeria News
Umahi, Dabiri-Erewa, Others To Face Arrest As Senate Set To Crack Whip On Errant Ministries
The Senate has resolved to issue arrest warrants for the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, Head of Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, and Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
This decision follows complaints raised by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imasuen.
Other public agencies whose heads might be served arrest warrants include Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, and Sally Best Properties Limited.
Imasuen lamented that several invitations sent to these ministries, agencies, and officials to address petitions filed against them by aggrieved Nigerians or corporate bodies had been ignored repeatedly.
Speaking in a motion under Senate Order 42, the lawmaker expressed frustration over the refusal of these officials to honour the Senate’s invitations and called on the Senate to authorize the issuance of arrest warrants.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio promptly granted the request, citing Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers the Senate to take such action.
“You already have the power as provided by Section 89 of the Constitution. Please use it by issuing a warrant of arrest against any head of agencies refusing to appear before the public petition committee,” Akpabio stated.
Following the Senate’s mandate, Senator Imasuen announced that fresh letters of invitation had been sent to the affected officials, warning that arrest warrants would be issued if they failed to appear.