Freshtrouble
emerged for former Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Adamu, yesterday,
as the senate directed its Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to
investigate him over alleged plot to unseat the President of the Senate,
Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.
This followed a point of order raised by
Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi Central), in which he claimed to be in possession of
a recorded phone conversation between Adamu who represents Nasarawa
West and other unnamed people to sack the Senate leadership.
But Adamu who was not on the floor when Ogba made the allegation dismissed it as unfounded insinuations.
Ogba’s allegation is coming less than two
months after another senator, Isah Hamman Misau, had accused Adamu of
plotting to sack the leadership of the Senate and destabilise the upper
legislative chamber.
At plenary, yesterday, the allegation
resurfaced as Ogba maintained that he was in possession of a recorded
telephone evidence implicating Adamu who is already answering to charges
before the senate committee.
According to Ogba: “I rise this morning
to bring to the notice of the Senate that there is a plan by some people
in this Senate under the leadership of Senator Abdullahi Adamu. In
January, Isah Hamman Misau made a comment here that there was a plan to
remove the Senate President and the entire leadership.
“Now, I have a reliable information that
some people are already planning to destabilise the Senate, including
the leadership by organising demonstrations. I believe that all of us
are leaders and none of us should do anything that will destabilise the
country or the Senate. Anything that will destabilise our democracy, we
should avoid it.
“If there is any issue going on, you have
an opportunity to raise it here. But not to go outside and start
planning with civil organisations, market women and others to lead
protests against the leadership of the Senate.
“I want this matter to be investigated. I
have evidence to show what I am saying. There is a telephone discussion
going on between Senator Abdullahi Adamu and other people.
“This is a very serious issue. When this
issue was raised in January, we did not take it seriously. We must have
to stand up and look into it. Waving it aside is not the best thing. If I
have your permission, I want to lay the evidence in full.”
While referring the issue to its
committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Ekweremadu who
presided, warned against plans to destabilise the National Assembly.
“The difference between military,
autocratic or any oppressive regime and democracy is the parliament.
Once you remove the parliament, you are going to have problems. In
whatever you do, we must continue to preserve the sanctity of the
parliament.
“I want to appeal that anybody who is
interested in destabilising this country is not doing anybody any good.
We have received this information. For whatever it is worth, we will
refer it to our appropriate committee on Public Petitions to look at it
and report back within two weeks.”
The Samuel Anyanwu-led committee was given two weeks to report back on the outcome of its findings.
But in his reaction, Adamu said he was
not after his seat. He, however, insisted that he could contest as
senate president since the law allows it.
He told newsmen in a telephone interview:
“A colleague called me and drew my attention to what happened on the
floor of the senate today. It is amusing, but very saddening at the same
time.
“I am not in anyway after Saraki. Saraki
is like a son to me. I had every right to contest for the Senate
President seat three years ago when the eighth Senate was inaugurated,
but I never did because I wasn’t interested.It is, therefore, not
logical for anyone to say I’m interested in the seat now, and will be
planning to destabilise the Senate. To achieve what? For what purpose?
It is not right for anyone to make such unfounded insinuations.
“We are almost three years in office,
election year is drawing nearer, and I think anyone thinking of
upstaging the leadership of the Senate for any reason will only be
fighting a lost battle because it is not what should naturally occupy
the mind of any serious minded lawmaker now.
“I’m not in anyway afraid of anyone who
thinks I’ve offended him. I have the neck to carry my cross, but no one
should cook up lies just to discredit me or any senator for that matter.
“If I’m asked to appear before the
committee on Ethics and Privileges, I will come out clean because
whoever raises the allegations will have to come out and present
incontrovertible facts to prove the allegations.
“Then, names of other so-called
collaborators will be made known. They will be confronted, evidence of
such meeting will be produced, those accused will be asked to defend
themselves, and recommendations will be made by the committee based on
facts presented to it.
Let me repeat that I’m not in anyway
after Saraki. I can’t be after Saraki and I won’t do anything to upstage
the leadership as being claimed because it’s a fruitless venture.
“But if I believe strongly in a cause, I
stand by it. If I’ve offended anyone by my strong stand on some issues
in the Senate in accordance with my conviction, I stand by it anytime.
But the issue of trying to cause disaffection in the Senate is a no
issue.
“Whatever we do in this world, we must be
ready to bear our cross. I’m ready to bear mine. Anyone who knows me
will say clearly that I’m not plotting to remove Saraki. Let them look
for another thing to say.”
Meanwhile, the senate has announced the
membership of the committee to investigate an alleged attack on Senator
Ahmed Ogembe in Okene, Kogi State.
James Manager of Delta South was
appointed to head the committee which has Jeremiah Useni, Isah Hamman
Misau, Kabiru Marafa, Solomon Olamilekan, Matthew Urhoghide and Chukwuka
Utazi as members.
Ekweremadu who named the team warned
politicians in the country to call their supporters to order ahead of
the 2019 general elections.
“If we destroy this country, all of us
will suffer it. So we need to do whatever possible we can to ensure that
we keep the waters of democracy clean. The issue of violence may not
help any person. Let us believe this will not be the true fact, but
because it has been raised, I think it is Important for avoidance of
doubt to ensure that we look into this to be able to know what is true
and what is not true in the circumstance,” Ekweremadu said.
He spoke following a point of order
raised by Dino Melaye on alleged seizure of military uniforms and other
materials from persons suspected to be officials of Kogi State
Government.
Melaye in his motion alleged that militia groups were being armed in his state.