The Senate yesterday accused Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa East, APC) and other lawmakers for plotting to overthrow Senate President BukolaSaraki and to also remove other members of the leadership of the Upper Chamber.
Already, there is tension in the Red Chamber as the Senators are divided. While some are reportedly working to remove Saraki, others are insisting that the Senate President must not be laid off.
Consequently, senate has directed its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition to investigate the allegation of insurrection plot against leadership of the senate and the plot to destabilize the upper legislative chamber as a whole by the group of senators allegedly led by Senator Adamu. But Senator Adamu in a swift reaction dismissed the allegation, saying categorically that he has not in any way organised a group to destabilize Senate and or hatch any plan to remove Saraki from office.
The former Nasarawa State governor, Adamu who was recently removed as the chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum was indicted of leading nine senators who had stormed out of plenary in protest over amendment of election sequence by the Senate.
Yesterday, the Committee investigating Adamu was given two weeks to report back to the senate plenary. He may likely be suspended by the Senate. The resolution of the senate followed the alarm raised by Senator ObinnaOgba (PDP EbonyiCentral ) through order 43 of the Senate standing rules , saying documentary evidence on the alleged plot was already in his possession for the Senate to nip it in the bud.
According to Senator 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 AbdullahiAdamu.In January, Senator IsahHammanMisau (APC Bauchi Central) 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 destabilize 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 destabilize the country or the Senate. Anything that will destabilize our democracy, we should avoid it.
“There is a telephone discussion going on between Senator AbdullahiAdamu 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,” he stated.
The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who presided over the session obliged him to lay the alleged documentary evidence and mandated the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition to carry out thorough investigation on the allegation and report back within two weeks.
“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.If found guilty by the committee, AbdullahiAdamu may be suspended from the senate for a specified time as experienced by Senator Ali Ndume last year,” Ekweremadu stated. However, Senator AbdullahiAdamu in a telephone discussion with senate correspondents, said he has the opportunity to contest for the seat of the senate president three years ago, which he didn’t do due to lack of interest and cannot remove Saraki now.
He said ‘’I am not in anyway after Saraki. Saraki is like a son to me. I have 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 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 any one 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.
“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,” Adamu insisted.