S171 of the Constitution not superior to S.2(3) of EFCC Act – Ozekhome SAN

Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, is a constitutional lawyer and human rights activist. In this interview, Ozekhome spoke on how section 171 of the 1999 Constitution cannot override section 2 (3) of the EFCC Act, why the Presidency must comply with Senate’s disapproval of Ibrahim Magu as EFCC Chairman and related issues.
Excerpts:
DESPITE the Senate’s two times rejection of Ibrahim Magu as the Substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC, he still continues in an acting capacity. What is your opinion on this?
Ozekhome
Oceans of ink have been spilled on the Senate’s rejection of Mr Ibrahim Magu, as EFCC Executive Chairman. It has been canvassed ferociously, especially by members of the Presidential Anti-corruption Advisory Committee, (PACAC), that notwithstanding the resounding rejection of Magu by the Senate, he can still continue in an “acting capacity” ad infinitum. This line of argument runs counter to logic and legal provisions. It simply amounts to intellectual insincerity.
Intellectual insincerity
Section 171 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which allows the
Appointment of Heads of extra-ministerial agencies without Senate’s approval has generated some arguments, to the extent that the Senate has been urged to approach the court for interpretation of Section 171 of the constitution. What is your view?
Section 171 of the 1999 Constitution, touted by those canvassing the position merely gives the President power to appoint and dismiss persons to the offices therein specified, i.e, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of Service, Ambassadors/High Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments and, personal staff of the President.
The Executive Chairman of the EFCC which was created five years after the promulgation of the 1999 Constitution, was never one of the offices. The EFCC is not an Extra-Ministerial Department, (EMD).
Can Section 171 of the 1999 Constitution override Section 2 (3) of the EFCC Act?
No! The whole farcical argument that Section 171 of the 1999 Constitution has over-ridden S.2(3) of the EFCC Act is false. The proponents of this argument appear to deliberately ignore the fact that the reference in Section 171(2) (d) is to Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments of the FGN, no matter how designated.
Having regard to this phrase, it is obvious that the key thing is to determine what is an Extra Ministerial Department and what Agencies of government are Extra Ministerial Departments. It is a ‘technical term’ which does not cover all agencies of governments.
It certainly does not cover statutory Agencies or Corporations and Commissions established by law. EMDs, within the government bureaucracy, are established administratively (just like ministries), to perform a specific function, or a cross cutting function.
They are usually placed under the Presidency, rather than under a Minister; but critically, the moment that office is backed by a law, it ceases to become an EMD.
For example, the present Ecological Funds Office is an EMD. The Debt Management Office (DMO), before it was backed by law, was also an EMD. It is not coincidence that Section 171(2) (d) refers to Permanent Secretaries and Heads of the EMDs in the same subsection, since ministries and extra ministerial departments are administrative, rather than statutory creations.
Some lawyers have argued that Section 171(2) (d) is a technical term and it does not cover all agencies of governments. What is your position?
The EFCC is a direct creation of statute and its composition and operations are wholly regulated by the very statute creating it. The EFCC is only supervised by the Attorney General of the Federation in respect of prosecution, merely because of his prosecutorial powers under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution. This does not necessarily render the EFCC an extra ministerial department under the office of AGF, in the same way you have the office of the DPP or Director Civil Litigation. Otherwise, we will contend the same for every agency, including NNPC, INEC, RMAFC, CCB, etc.
There is no where in the EFCC Act where you will find any reference to the EFCC as a department of the Federal Ministry of Justice, or of the Presidency such as to make it an Extra-Ministerial Department.
The Ministry of Justice, among others, is given equal membership of the Board of the EFCC. Section 2(3) of the EFCC Act does not in any way contravene section 171 of the Constitution, but merely aids it. This is because a Constitution cannot encompass every future matter.
Thus, it is a non sequitur to argue that a procedure for the exercise of every appointment under Section 171 of the Constitution must be entrenched specially therein, or else it becomes unconstitutional. By section 171 (2) of the Constitution, the power to appoint Heads of Extra- Ministerial Departments either in acting or “substantive” capacities is quite distinct. Thus, the powers of the President under S. 171 of the Constitution to avoid a vacuum in appointment in an “acting” capacity arising from death, resignation, dismissal, expiration of tenure or incapacitation of a substantive occupant, can never conflict with the specific requirement to appoint a person to the substantive position in the very enabling Act.
Can the President simply appoint the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria without comply with S. 8(1) of the CBN Act, which requires Senate confirmation?
We may as well argue that the President can simply appoint the Governor of CBN without complying with S. 8(1) of the CBN Act, which requires Senate confirmation.
Recall that before Magu, Obasanjo had appointed Nuhu Ribadu (the pioneer Chairman of EFCC), with the advice of Kanu Agabi, SAN as the AGF, in accordance with S. 2(3) of the EFCC Act; that Michael Aondoaka did so under Yar’Adua, for Farida Waziri, and that Mohammed Bello Adoke SAN, did same under Jonathan, with the appointment of Ibrahim Lamorde?
It is the EFCC (Establishment) Act, No. 1, LFN, 2004, that gives life to and breathed the oxygen of existence, into the EFCC. It is the same EFCC Act that gives the EFCC powers to “sue and be sued in its corporate name”; makes it a “body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal”; and designates the EFCC as the “Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) in Nigeria, which is charged with the responsibility of co-ordinating the various institutions involved in the fight against money laundering and enforcement of all laws dealing with economic and financial crimes in Nigeria.”
In recent times, the EFCC had frozen individual’s accounts, including yours, through an ex-parte orders. What do you have to say about such developments?
Without the Act, EFCC is non existent, and cannot freeze citizens’ accounts and attach their properties secretly and clandestinely through ex-parte orders, with reckless abandon, as they have been doing. It is the same Act, not S. 171 (2) of the 1999 Constitution, which brought the EFCC into existence, that also prescribes the “Composition of the Commission.
In your view, what do you think should be done to make the Presidency and the Senate work hand-in-hand in line with democratic principle?
The President shares the power of appointment with the Senate. More compelling is the fact that the section expressly makes the exercise of the President’s undoubted power for such appointment subject to the Senate’s confirmation or decision to reject.
The Black’s Law Dictionary defines “subject to” as: “liable, subordinate, subservient, or inferior to; governed or affected by; provided that or provided; answerable for”. The phrase “Subject to” when used in an enactment, was defined in NDIC V. OKEM ENTERPRISE LTD. & ANOR.(2004) LPELR-1999(SC), where the Supreme Court, held, per Uwaifo, JSC:
Constitutional democracy
‘It must therefore be understood that subject to introduce a condition, a restriction, a limitation, a proviso: It subordinates the provisions of the subject section to the section empowered by reference thereto and which is intended not to be diminished by the subject section.’’
See also, SPDC NIGERIA LTD V. EZEUKWU &ORS (2010) LPELR-CA/PH/132/2002.
The compulsory involvement of the Senate constitutes a check and balance in a constitutional democracy such as we operate. It highlights the hallowed doctrine of separation of powers, between the three arms of government as theorized by Plato, Aristotle, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes, John Calvin, and mostly popularized in 1748 by the great French Philosopher, Baron de Montesquieu.
This has been given legal imprimatur by Sections 415 and 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended). Assuming, without conceding that Section 11 of the Interpretation Act creates the office of an “Acting Chairman”, as some have argued, it is respectfully submitted that such appointment automatically ceases the moment the co-appointer (Senate), refuses to give the constitutionally mandated confirmation.
Going by Section 2(3) EFCC Act, Magu also automatically lost his “acting” capacity during the period of his proposal to the Senate for confirmation, which the Senate eventually rejected, after hearing.
The term “Heads of Extra Ministerial Department”, what does it really mean?
The term “Heads of Extra Ministerial Department” (EMDs), used in section 171 (2) is a technical term which does not cover statutory Agencies, Corporation or Commissions established by law (such as EFCC, NNPC, etc). EMDs only operate within government bureaucracy established administratively, just like ministers, to perform specific or cross-cutting functions.
An EMD, such as Ecological Funds Office, is usually placed under the presidency, rather than under a Minister. Before the Debt Management Office (DMO) was enacted into an Act, it was an EMD directly under the presidency like, the Permanent Secretaries and personal staff of the President.
Upon enactment, the DMO ceased to be under the presidency. It is now restricted to the DMO Act creating it. The President may decide to create 100 Ministries and 200 Permanent Secretaries because they are solely within his prerogative, in so far as he observes section 147 (3) of the 1999 Constitution, which prescribes at least 1 minister for a State, who shall be an indigene of that State.
But, the President can not, in the same vein, create any offices, or donate any powers to the EFCC outside the EFCC Act, 2004. So EFCC should simply not equate Magu, nor should Magu simply approximate, EFCC. If we understand this, then we will stop the present embarrassment to the country, where the country’s only headlines are about corruption, corruption and corruption.

Interview culled from Vanguard.

Bring my files, I “ll work from home – Buhari

Again, President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday stayed away from the meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC which held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Similarly, over 20 out of 36 Ministers were equally absent at the meeting.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo presided over the meeting.
President Muhammadu Buhari signs Instrument of Ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in State House on 28th March 2017
The Opening preliminaries of Wednesday’s meeting were not short of what played out penultimate Wednesday when the already seated Osinbajo and the Ministers who were expectant of the President, appearing to preside over the meeting got disappointed following Buhari failure to show up.
On the same vein, the meeting did not hold last week.
Officials later attributed that to the Easter holiday.
Meanwhile, all expectations that the president would attend yesterday’s edition that featured the acting Secretary to the Government of Federation, SGF, Dr. Habibat Lawan also failed.
At exactly 11 am, Osinbajo got whispers from the State Chief of Protocol, SCOP and thereafter called for the National Anthem and opening prayers, signalling the commencement of the meeting.
Journalists were later excused from the meeting which got underway.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting that lasted only for two hours, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said that the president couldn’t attend because he needed some rest at home.
Mohammed added that the President has requested that all the files on his table be brought to him, saying he would be working from home.
He said: “We just concluded the Federal Executive Council meeting, I’m sure you noticed that the President was not there. He was not there because he asked that he be allowed to rest and asked the VP to preside.
“And he will be working from home. He has asked all his files to be taken to him in the house. He will be working from home today”.
The Minister also repeated the same to Vanguard which sought more clarification in an exclusive interview.
“He was not in that meeting because the President sent word that he wanted to rest and he wanted the VP to preside over and he asked for all his files to be brought back to him that he will be working from the house”.
Told that there was an air of surprise back in the hall when the Vice President called for the recitation of the national anthem, Mohammed said “that’s your own opinion”.
Also asked whether the government would formally apologize to The Punch Newspaper over the “sack” of its State House correspondent, Mr. Olalekan Adetayo from the Presidential Villa as demanded by the organization, the Minister said that the steps already taken by the Presidential Media aides should suffice.
“I think we should blow a matter out of proportion. The special adviser to the president on Media, Mr. Adesina immediately took a step that reversed that. I think that is proof enough that this government is not about stifling the press.
“You forget it is the same administration that restored the pass of Dutchewalle Reporter. I am happy with what the media aides have done. I think that settles it”, he said.

Corruption: Umar is frustrated — Presidency

*Says elite who benefited from NSA fighting back

The Presidency, last night, rebuffed allegations of selectiveness in the war against corruption made against Muhammadu Buhari’s administration by the erstwhile military governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar, describing him as a frustrated man.
President Muhammadu Buhari
It also said it had become accustomed to a fight back by the elite class.
The Presidency in a statement by a Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity), Mallam Garba Shehu, also said none of the elite class fighting back had shown evidence of the selectiveness of the fight against corruption.
He further said President Buhari had not at any time interfered with the prosecution of corruption suspects, even as he said several of those fighting back had at one time or the other benefited from security votes from the office of the National Security Adviser. Mallam Garba was, however, quick to exclude Col. Umar from such beneficiaries.
Col. Umar (retd) had in a statement issued, weekend, flayed the Presidency for directing its anti-corruption war at only the opposition, saying the decision to ignore court orders to release erstwhile NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd(, is inexcusable.
He further said the Buhari administration had in its actions sought to humiliate former President Goodluck Jonathan who he, Umar, praised for his excellent democracy credentials.
Responding, yesterday, Shehu said: “By now, President Buhari’s administration is quite familiar with the barrage of verbal attacks that have accompanied the administration’s determined war against corruption.
“A number of Nigeria’s elite, uncomfortable with the disruption of business as usual, have fought viciously, usually via the media. However, this comment, coming from Colonel Umar, is highly disappointing, because he is not in a position to label accusations. He should, instead, allow others to do this.
“Curiously, despite the various accusations and media attacks, no one has so far come forth with any evidence of President Buhari’s selectiveness in the war against corruption.
“All the agencies involved are allowed freedom to carry out their responsibilities, without any interference whatsoever from the Presidency.
“If Colonel Umar or anyone else feels that they have any evidence to the contrary, they are encouraged to make this public.
“A number of Nigerian elite have over the years, benefitted from various forms of corruption, including monthly payouts from the office of previous National Security Advisers.
“Let me clarify that this is not in reference to Colonel Umar in particular.
“The Buhari’s administration has offended so many of our greedy elite by putting a stop to this, plugging many of the holes through which our country’s resources, belonging to each and every one of us, were looted by a few.
“Naturally, these elite are frustrated. But we shall not allow them to frustrate the war against corruption.
“The war against corruption is here to stay. As long as President Buhari is in power, Nigerians can be rest assured of that. It will not succumb to media attacks. It will not be deterred by false accusations. It will not be quenched by disgruntled elements.”

Source: Vanguard

AILING ECONOMY: WE’VE LEARNT OUR LESSON IN A HARD WAY – BUHARI

President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that Nigeria has learnt the hard way on how to diversify its economy.

Buhari made this remark while receiving a Special Envoy from the President of Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif, at the State House, on Monday.

According to him, the current government was working hard to live up to the challenges faced by the Nigerian economy within a short period, saying he would tap from the experiences of countries like Iran which had thrived in adversity.

He said, “The progress made by Iran within a short period of 30 years is really commendable. Within the period, you have been able to harness gas flaring, and you are now exporting. You have recorded strides in security, manufacturing, agriculture and technology.

 

“You have also achieved a lot in nuclear research. I must also congratulate you for successfully negotiating with America and the European countries on the development of your nuclear energy. “In Nigeria, we are learning. We are learning the hard way through hardship, and we are learning very quickly on how to explore other sectors of the economy like gas, solid minerals and agriculture for growth.

“We are grateful for your support and cooperation in opening up the Nigerian economy for diversification,’’ he said.
In his remark, the Iranian envoy who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the Iranian government would support the ongoing restructuring of the Nigerian economy.

“We are very keen to see a better and stronger relationship with Nigeria, which is the largest country in Africa and a major global player,’’ he said.

Source: http://dailypost.ng/2016/07/25/ailing-economy-weve-learnt-lesson-hard-way-buhari/

BUHARI ORDERS NNPC TO FIND OIL ON NORTH EAST

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is stepping up measures to ensure a successful operation in the ongoing search for crude oil in the Chad Basin and other parts of the Inland Sedimentary Basin.

That is even as President Muhammadu Buhari ordered deeper exploration of some hitherto neglected areas in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria.

The Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Maikanti Baru, made this disclosure on Monday while receiving the Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, who was on a courtesy visit to the NNPC Towers, Abuja.

Mr. Baru said the renewed search for hydrocarbon deposits in the Chad Basin would entail extensive probing of some allocated and non-allocated oil blocks in the region with a view to establishing the magnitude of the deposits.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Abubakar said he was leading a delegation of Bauchi State government officials to the NNPC Towers to felicitate with the new GMD on his appointment noting that Bauchi State was proud of Mr. Baru and his accomplishments so far in the oil and gas industry.

Briefing the visiting governor on the intensification of crude oil search in the north, the NNPC GMD noted that the Corporation had identified specific oil blocks in the area where some of the finds were made and would move to re-invigorate exploration based on fresh strategy.

“You know that very close home, we have exploration activities on the frontier basin in the Chad and some areas close to the Kolmani river where Shell had made some indicative discovery of hydrocarbons and Mr. President has directed me to go into that area to reprove and further explore the magnitude and prospectivity of those finds,” spokesperson for the NNPC, Garba Deen Muhammed quoted Mr. Baru as saying.

“We are taking steps to re-strategize and get into those regions. We will re-invigorate the frontier exploration and see how they collaborate with NNPC that is holding Block A09 where some of the finds have been made and also Department for Petroleum Resources, DPR, for the other blocks that have not been assigned.”

The NNPC GMD implored the Bauchi State governor to collaborate with the Corporation in tackling the menace of pipeline vandalism especially in the wake of reported line breaks along the NNPC products supply line from Jos-Gombe-Bauchi enroute the Maiduguri depot.

Responding, Governor Abubakar said the government and people of the State would continue to support and pray for the GMD to ensure that his dreams for the NNPC come to fruition as he steered the ship of NNPC away from obviously turbulent waters amid tumbling crude oil prices.

Also on Monday, the NNPC flagged off bid opening for the decommissioning and installation of towers and masts in Lagos, Benin and Port Harcourt area offices with eleven companies participating in the exercise.

Speaking during the bid opening ceremony at the NNPC Towers in Abuja, the Manager Telecoms, Michael Ejike, said reputable telecommunication vendors with proven experience and capacity were invited to bid for the decommissioning and installation of towers and masts in some NNPC facilities to give it a facelift.

He noted that the 11 companies that submitted bids were required to bid for any of the four refineries of their interest, adding that the exercise was geared towards providing equal opportunities for all bidders in a transparent manner.

On her part, the General Manager, Supply Chain Management, Sophia Mbakwe, said the result of the bid exercise would be ready in three weeks, assuring that all prospective vendors would receive equal treatment.

Commenting on the exercise, the Executive Director of one of the bidding companies, Anthony Wokocha, applauded the NNPC for the transparent conduct of the exercise and assured the corporation of the readiness of his company to deliver on the mandate if considered.

Source: http://dailypost.ng/2016/07/25/buhari-orders-nnpc-find-oil-north-east/

OBASANJO EXPLAINS WHY HE MET BUHARI

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo while answering questions from State House correspondents explained why he held a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja around noon yesterday.

Obasanjo, who made this known however refused to disclose the content of his message, he said he updated president Buhari on the outcome of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Africa Export-Import Bank, which he attended in Seychelles Island.

“I have some messages for the President.

“Not too long ago, I was in Liberia and the Gambia and the presidents of these two countries had some messages that they would want me to deliver to the President.

“Also, only yesterday I came back from Seychelles Island, where I attended this year’s Annual General meeting of Africa Export –Import Bank.

“And there were aspects of the proceedings during that meeting that I think I should update the President on.” 

NOT YET TIME TO CONTEMPLATE BUHARI’S IMPEACHMENT , ANENIH TELLS PDP SENATORS

ABUJA - Former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih said Wednesday that those contemplating the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari should jettison that as the time was neither right nor the reasons compelling enough.
In a four-page letter to the Chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and dated July 15, 2016, Anenih urged him to dissuade the PDP caucus in the National Assembly from participating in the alleged “ill-advised adventure” of removing President Buhari from office.
Chief Anenih as Makarfi to personally lead the process of consultation with PDP members in the National Assembly, with a view to getting them to play what he described as a patriotic, rather than partisan role, at this time of national economic and social uncertainty.
The letter, titled: “THE PDP CAUCUS IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND THE THREAT TO IMPEACH PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI” reads: “I am constrained to write this letter by my love for our great country and my long years of involvement in the pursuit of peace, co-existence and national development.
“I am concerned about the noises coming out of the National Assembly to the effect that some of our distinguished Senators and Honourable Members are contemplating a move to impeach the President.
“I feel even more disturbed that the PDP Caucus is being rumoured to be actively involved in this plan to “go for the jugular” of the Executive. The rumoured role of the PDP Caucus is, indeed, the main reason I have chosen to write this letter to you.
“I wish to appeal to you to use your noble office as the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of our great party to dissuade our party members, in the National Assembly, from embarking on or participating in this ill-advised adventure. I am persuaded, Sir, that the time is neither right nor the reasons compelling enough to contemplate the impeachment of the President.
“I do not doubt that the National Assembly may have its grouse against the President, but I am sure that the options of consultation, dialogue and negotiation have not yet been exhausted. We should all assist in persuading our members to persevere in the pursuit of these options.
“I do not believe an attempt at impeachment, at this time, is in the best interests of the party, or the country. Such a move will create tension, instability and even crisis in our body-politic. It will unleash all those fissiparous forces which, in the last few months, have begun to gain momentum.
“Fundamentally, as the main opposition party, I believe the PDP should concern itself with an inward review of why Nigerians lost faith in us and in our party’s vision for Nigeria; our focus should therefore be on trying to figure out how we can once again regain this trust.
“As a party in opposition, what I expect is constructive criticism of the ruling party when it goes wrong. Playing an active role in the internal power struggles between factions of the ruling party is an unnecessary distraction, and an exercise that appears to promote personal agenda rather than the National Interest.
“I am not unaware that the times are hard; that Nigerians are groaning under the weight of unpaid salaries and astronomical increases in the cost of living, that ballooning security problems are increasingly threatening to rip apart the fabric of our national existence, and that Nigerians feel more divided today than they have ever felt, but it would be unfair to blame this President or this Government for all of these problems. Instructively, none of these problems was floated as justification for the threat of impeachment by the National Assembly.
“On the economy, it is a well known fact that all oil-producing countries are suffering from an economic down-turn because of the radical drop in the price of crude oil. As a mono-product economy, dependent on crude oil, there is no magic bubble that could have insulated us completely from the systemic shocks caused by the attendant loss of revenue.
“Rather than seek scapegoats, the situation demands that all our institutions, political parties and leaders should set aside all partisan interests, and work together to wade through these difficult times.
“It is, therefore, my wish and prayer that you, personally, lead the process of consultation with our members in the National Assembly, with a view to getting them to play a patriotic, rather than partisan role, at this time of national economic and social uncertainty.
“May God continue to bless you with the wisdom to lead our party to its manifest destiny.”

SEN TINUBU WRITES IGP, DEMANDS POLICE PROTECTION

THE lawmaker representing Lagos Central Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Remi Tinubu, has petitioned the acting Inspector-General of Police, requesting for police protection over alleged threats to her life by Senator Dino Melaye.
This came as women, drawn from the three senatorial districts in Lagos State, under the aegis of Concerned Group, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to direct relevant security agencies to institute criminal action against Melaye should he fail to tender public apology.
In the letter, Tinubu noted that her request became necessary given what she termed as Melaye’s antecedents in the House of Representatives where a brawl allegedly led by the latter resulted in the death of a lawmaker.
Signed by Tinubu, the letter titled: Request for Police Protection reads: ‘’I am Senator Oluremi Tinubu, representing Lagos Central Senatorial District of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. During the proceedings of the Senate on Tuesday, July 14, 2016, I had cause to contribute to a matter of national importance. Apparently dissatisfied with my contributions Senator Dino Melaye threw caution to the winds, resorted to vulgar abuse of my person and wanted to assault me.
‘’It was the timely intervention of a number of colleagues which prevented Senator Melaye from unleashing a physical attack on me. However, as the leadership of the Senate did not call him to order in the circumstance, he proceeded to threaten my life without any provocation whatsoever.
‘’In view of Sen Melaye’s antecedent particularly in the House of Representatives where a brawl led by him led to the untimely death of a member, I have decided not to ignore his threat to my life. Therefore, I am compelled to urge you to use your good offices to provide me with adequate security.”...

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/sen-tinubu-writes-igp-demands-police-protection/