Adamu To Face Probing Over Allegations To Disorganize Senate, Remove Saraki

The recent lay off of the chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa, APC) caused an uproar yesterday as the Senate asked its committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to inspect the accusations leveled against him.

Adamu, a former Governor of Nassarawa State was said to be involved in a plot to disorganize the senate, by planning to start a protest against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in other to get him fired.

All hell was let loose when this accusations were leveled against Adamu by Senator Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi, PDP) who said he could provide facts to support his accusations.

Recall that Naija News earlier reported that Adamu denied the allegations saying that Senate President Saraki was like a son to him.

Naija News learnt that he also criticized the recent move to amend the Electoral Act, which stated that the presidential polls would be conducted last during the general elections. He believed it was a move to weaken President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 polls.

However, it was shocking when his colleagues in the Northern Senators’ Forum replaced him as chairman of the forum after accussing him of not being able to account for N70 million in the treasury of the forum.

Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna, APC) who exposed him said the excuse given by Adamu was that the money went missing when monkeys invaded his farm, and no explanation was given for his reason to keep N70 million at his farm.

Ogba, citing an order of personal explanation, said that the planned protests would involve civil society organisations, market women and others against Saraki and the Senate.

“In January, Senator Isah Hamman Misau made a revelation here that there was a plot to remove the Senate President and the entire leadership. Now, I have reliable information that some people are already planning to destabilize the Senate, including the leadership by organizing demonstrations.

“I believe that all of us are leaders and none of us should do anything that will destabilize the country or the Senate. Anything that will destabilize our democracy, we should avoid it.

“If there is any issue at stake, you have the opportunity to raise it here. But not to go outside and start planning with civil society organisations, market women and others to lead protests against the leadership of the Senate,” he said.

He noted that the accusations should be thoroughly inspected, as there was a phone discussion between Adamu and others organizing the plot.

“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,” he said.

Presiding, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu said that the sanctity of the parliament must be protected.

“The difference between military, autocratic or any oppressive regime and a 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 anyone who is interested in destabilising this country, the person is not doing anybody any good.

“We have received this information and for whatever it is worth, we will refer it to our Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to look into it and report back within two weeks,” Ekweremadu ruled.

Naija News learnt that Adamu was absent at the plenary when the accussations were made against him, he however said he had no interest in becoming the senate president and expressed disbeliefs at the allegations.

“I’m not in town. I lost someone and I’m presently in Nasarawa State. However, 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. He is like a son to me. I had every right to contest for the Senate President seat three years ago when the 8th 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 destabilize the Senate. To achieve what? For what purpose?

“It is not right for anyone to make such unfounded allegations. We are almost three years in office, the 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 losing battle because it is not what should naturally occupy the mind of any serious-minded lawmaker now,” he said.

Adamu said he had no fear in appearing before the ethics committee, who are in charge of the case.

“I am not in anyway afraid of anyone who thinks I have 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 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 meetings will be produced, those accused will be asked to defend themselves, and recommendations will be made by the committee based on the facts presented to it,” he added.

“As for me, 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 allegation of trying to cause disaffection in the Senate is of no issues at all.”