The Senate has moved to protect its institutional authority and reinforce due process in the conduct of legislative oversight investigations. At plenary, the Senate adopted a motion sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, clarifying that under the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, only the President of the Senate has……
The Senate has moved to protect its institutional authority and reinforce due process in the conduct of legislative oversight investigations.
At plenary, the Senate adopted a motion sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, clarifying that under the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, only the President of the Senate has the authority to issue a warrant compelling the attendance of any witness before the Senate or its committees.
The resolution follows recent developments involving the Senate Committee on Public Accounts and former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari.
Lawmakers declared that no Senate Committee has the power to independently issue, authorize, or execute a warrant of arrest without the approval of the Senate President.
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The Senate also distanced itself from comments attributed to Senator Adams Oshiomhole describing NNPCL as “a bunch of criminals and thieves,” stressing that the remarks do not represent the official position or findings of the upper chamber.
The Senate reaffirmed its commitment to fair hearing, due process, parliamentary neutrality, and the presumption of innocence, maintaining that only a court of competent jurisdiction can determine criminal liability against any individual or institution.
