Fresh tensions are brewing within the Senate as lawmakers prepare to reconvene on Tuesday amid indications that the upper chamber may commence a formal probe into allegations made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole regarding the controversial suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Multiple sources within the National Assembly told our correspondent that the issue is expected to feature prominently when senators return for an emergency plenary session convened by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The development follows claims by Oshiomhole that signatures of some senators were either improperly attached to or appeared on the report that recommended Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension, a position he later clarified, insisting that he never alleged that lawmakers’ signatures were forged.
Despite the clarification, sources disclosed that several high-ranking senators were unhappy with the controversy generated by the remarks and were pushing for the Senate to take an official position on the matter.
One of the sources said the emergency session called by the Senate President may provide an opportunity for the chamber to address the controversy and determine its next course of action.
“That explains why Akpabio called off the recess and summoned an emergency session under the guise of attending to the issue of rising insecurity across the country,” a source who craved anonymity said.
Although the Senate leadership has not officially confirmed that Oshiomhole’s comments will be discussed during the plenary, the Senate spokesman, Yemi Adaramodu, indicated that the chamber would not ignore allegations that question the integrity of its proceedings.
Speaking with our correspondent, Adaramodu said the Senate would examine the comments and decide on an appropriate response.
He said, “We are going to review any statements made by him. The Senate will take a cursory look at either extraneous, spontaneous or intentional comments from any senator appropriately.
“We are going to look into it. We will take a stand, and everyone will know where we stand. Such an allegation is spurious, bewildering and unthinkable.
“No Senator, at any time, either in Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension or any other matter, has the Senate forged the signature or misrepresented any senator.
“The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not believe that a senator can raise such an uncharitable allegation.
“The business of the Senate is conducted in the open chamber at the plenary in the full glare of the media and willing Nigerians. And decisions are taken on any matter after exhaustive debates, including disciplinary issues.
“The public should disregard and treat this as an ignoble outburst. We are going to look into it and take a stand. But no senator has reported that his or her signature was forged during the Natasha matter.”
The latest development comes barely days after Oshiomhole issued a public clarification over comments he made during a television interview that reignited debate over the suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In a statement released last week, the former Edo State governor denied accusing the Senate or any lawmaker of forging signatures in the report that formed the basis of the Kogi Central senator’s suspension.
According to him, his comments had been misconstrued and taken out of context.
“The insinuation that I said signatures of senators were forged is a complete misrepresentation of what I actually said.
“I agree absolutely with the spokesperson of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Yemi Adaramodu, that no signature of senators was forged in Natasha Akpoti’s suspension. This is because no senator complained to me that his or her signature was forged.
“The only comment I made is that one senator, who is a member of the committee, claimed that the signatures of attendance of some senators were attached to the final report,” Oshiomhole said.