Abdullahi Adamu, the senator accused of plotting to remove the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has denied the allegation.
Abdullahi Adamu, the senator accused of plotting to remove the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has denied the allegation.
Mr. Adamu said the Senate President is “like a son” to him and at no time did he make a move to oust him from power.
At the plenary on Thursday, Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi-PDP) accused Mr. Adamu of plotting, in collaboration with some other senators, to remove Mr. Saraki as Senate President.
He tendered what he called ‘documentary evidence’ of the plot to support his claim.
Mr. Adamu was not at the plenary when the allegation was raised against him.
He later spoke by phone with journalists, who shared the details with PREMIUM TIMES.
Reacting to the allegation Thursday evening, Mr. Adamu said at no time was he interested in becoming the Senate President.
“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. 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 destabilize 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, 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 lost battle because it is not what should naturally occupy the mind of any serious-minded lawmaker now.”
He vowed to appear before the ethics committee drafted to investigate the matter.
“I am 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.”
Mr. Adamu was one of the 10 senators who publicly criticised the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act. He said the amendment to section 25 of the act, which re-ordered the sequence of the election, was targeted at President Muhammadu Buhari.
One week after the confrontation, Mr. Adamu has removed as chairman Northern Senators Forum amid allegations of mismanaging N70 million belonging to the group.
Mr. Adamu in his reaction on Thursday vowed to continue to fight for what he believes in.
“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 the 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 issues at all."
“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.”
“I am 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.”
Mr. Adamu was one of the ten senators who publicly criticised the Senate’s passage of the electoral act. He said the amendment to section 25 of the act, which re-ordered the sequence of the election, was targeted at President Muhammadu Buhari.
One week after the confrontation, Mr. Adamu was removed as chairman Northern Senators Forum amid allegations of mismanaging N70 million belonging to the group.
