Will there be drama as Mace senator returns?

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (APC Delta Central) returns to the senate today, a month after he was slapped with a 90-day suspension for suing Senate President Bukola Saraki; before being implicated in a mace theft drama on the floor of the national assembly.

After the mace disappeared, police officers arrested Omo-Agege, but he was set free barely a few hours after because not a soul at police headquarters could pin the crime on him.

Omo-Agege will most probably make an entrance into the national assembly in his favorite three piece suit, share a laugh or two with some of his colleagues who still care about him and head for his seat. Unflustered.

Because Omo-Agege always has this ice cold demeanour about him. He smiles when he wants to, looks mean when he wants to and orders thugs to allegedly steal the symbol of authority of the senate when he wants to.

Outside, his 'boys' will be monitoring events to ensure he's unharmed.

Omo-Agege doesn’t care what anyone thinks of him. Omo-Agege plays by his own rules and by his own rules only.

Challenging suspension in court

After he was suspended, Omo-Agege headed for the courtroom to challenge his suspension. He was having none of it.

On Thursday, May 10, 2018, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ruled that the senate erred when it suspended Omo-Agege for more than 14 legislative days.

The Judge also ordered the immediate reinstatement of Omo-Agege and nullified his suspension by the senate.

Senate accepts court judgment

On Monday, May 14, 2018, the senate announced that it has accepted the decision of the court, even though it was going to appeal the judgment.

"The senate leadership has been briefed by our lawyers on last Thursday judgement of the federal high court, Abuja, on whether the Senate has the legal authority to suspend a member for certain misconduct or not", senate spokesperson Sabi Abdullahi wrote in a statement.

"We have equally filed an appeal against the judgement of the court and a motion for stay of execution of the judgement at the court of appeal.

"As an institution that obeys the law and court orders, the senate has decided that it will comply with the judgement of the federal high court and do nothing to stop Senator Ovie Omo-Agege from resuming in his office and at plenary from tomorrow May 15, 2018, pending the determination of the application for stay of execution”.

Security beefed up at national assembly

It is on the basis of the aforementioned judgment that Omo-Agege will return to the senate today.

Reports say security has been beefed round the senate ahead of the senator’s return.

NAN writes that: “Strengthening of security arrangement at the complex, especially around the senate chambers is to forestall likely security breach as recorded on April 18, when some hoodlums stormed the chambers and made away with the mace.

“Apart from full security detail in the chamber of the red chamber on Monday, police officers were seen at the lobby leading into the chamber, a development that is unusual on a non-sitting day.

“Sergeants-at-Arms were also seen in clusters discussing in hush tones, and apparently perfecting the security beef-up.

“Some staff of the assembly, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the development was not unconnected with the expected return of Omo-Agege to the chamber on Tuesday after the court judgment in his favour.

“They confirmed that the move is to check likely break down of law and order as experienced when the mace was forcefully taken away”.

Just keep the mace far away from him

Don't expect the mace to disappear again just because Omo-Agege is back at the national assembly.

Of course a handful of senators will hate the very sight of Omo-Agege today. But that won’t stop the senator who is reportedly in the good books of the presidency, from contributing during plenary.

After all, Omo-Agege doesn’t care what anyone thinks about him. He plays by his own rules.