The Senate has said it will examine allegations raised by Senator Adams Oshiomhole concerning the alleged forgery of signatures linked to the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Speaking in an interview with The Cable, Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu stated: “The Senate will take a cursory look at either extraneous, spontaneous or intentional comments from any senator appropriately.”
Oshiomhole had alleged that the names of at least three senators were included on the Senate Committee report that recommended Akpoti Uduaghan’s six month suspension, despite not having their approval.
According to him, some lawmakers whose names appeared on the document informed him that they neither signed the report nor supported its recommendations.
Responding to the claims, Adaramodu told The Cable: “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.
“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 senator was forged during the Natasha matter.
“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 bounded by orders of the senate.”
Addressing concerns about the independence of lawmakers, he added: “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.
“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.
“So there’s nothing like that. I’m just hearing it for the first time. That’s very strange.”
