June 16, (THEWILL) — Fresh controversy has erupted in the Nigerian Senate after the upper chamber said it would review allegations by Senator Adams Oshiomhole claiming that signatures of some lawmakers were improperly included in the committee report that led to the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Senate spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, confirmed on Tuesday that the Senate leadership would examine Oshiomhole’s comments and take an official position after reviewing the claims.
Speaking in an interview with The Cable, Adaramodu said the chamber would not ignore statements made by any senator concerning matters affecting its integrity and internal processes.
“We are going to review any statements made by him (Oshiomhole). The Senate will take a cursory look at either extraneous, spontaneous, or intentional comments from any senator appropriately,” he said.
Adaramodu added that the Senate would investigate the matter and communicate its findings publicly, while insisting that, so far, no senator had officially complained that his or her signature was forged in connection with the Natasha suspension report.
“We are going to look into it. We will take a stand and everyone will know where we stand. But we can say no senator has reported that his or her signature was forged during the Natasha matter,” he stated.
The controversy followed claims by the former Edo State governor and Senator representing Edo North, that the names of at least three senators appeared on the committee report recommending Natasha’s suspension despite the lawmakers neither signing the document nor endorsing its recommendations.
Defending the Senate’s handling of the matter, Adaramodu maintained that the process leading to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was conducted openly and transparently before Nigerians.
“It was debated on the floor of the Senate openly at the plenary in the full glare of every Nigerian and even the international audience, and so nothing to hide. All Nigerians knew where we stood then on the issue of Natasha… that she ran foul of the Senate’s orders. And we are orderly because we are bound by orders of the Senate,” he said.
On concerns about the alleged forgery of lawmakers’ signatures, the Senate spokesperson dismissed suggestions that any senator could have been pressured into endorsing a report against their will or that forged documentation could escape scrutiny within the chamber.
“Nobody will say that he or she was coerced or somebody’s signature was forged; that has never happened in the Senate and it cannot happen. It has never happened,” Adaramodu said.
He stressed that senators are independent-minded lawmakers capable of speaking up whenever there is any violation involving their rights or official records.
“Senators are independent-minded people. We are mature men and women. And if you have any infraction against anybody, that person can, without any advocate from anywhere, that person will show it,” he added.
Reacting further to the allegation, Adaramodu said the claim came as a surprise and noted that no formal complaint had reached Senate leadership regarding any forged endorsement connected to the suspension proceedings.
“So there’s nothing like that. I’m just hearing it for the first time. That’s very strange,” he said.
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