There was mild drama at plenary on Thursday as a senator representing Ebonyi Central (PDP), Obinna Ogba accuses his colleague, Abdullahi Adamu, who was recently removed as chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, of planning to impeach the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and other principal officers.
Ogba on Thursday tendered “evidences” he claimed were phone conversations between Adamu and some other people on alleged plans to remove Saraki and other members of the Senate leadership.
Coming under Order 43 of the Senate standing order, Ogba urged the Senate to investigate the matter.
“I rise this morning to bring to the notice of the Senate that there is a plan by some people in this Senate, maybe under the leadership of my distinguished colleague, particularly Senator Abdullahi Adamu. Mr. President, you remember in January, distinguished Senator Misau made a comment here that there was a plan to remove the Senate President and in fact the leadership.
“Now, I have reliable information that some people are already planning to destabilise the Senate, including the Senate leadership by organising demonstration of which money is already exchanging hands. I believe that all of us are all leaders in this in this country and everybody who sees something that will destabilise the country or the Senate or even the democracy should avoid it. As we are here, if there is any going on, you have the opportunity to raise, not to go outside the chambers to start planning civil resistance; market women to come for demonstration against the leadership of the Senate.
“Mr. President, I want this Senate to investigate this matter properly, I have evidence to show what I’m saying. There is a telephone conversation going on which any other person can also print it out, between senator Abdullahi Adamu and some other people.
“When senator Misau raised it in January we didn’t take it as anything, I am saying this, we must stand up to look into this.”
Mr. Ogba, after his presentation, proceeded to tender what he called ‘documentary evidences’ against Mr. Adamu.
The Senate resolved to refer the matter to the committee on petitions to report back in two weeks.
Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, pleaded with anyone planning to destabilise the country to desist from doing so.
“The difference between military, autocratic regime and any other oppressive regime is the parliament. Once we remove the parliament, there is going to be problem. In whatever we do, we must continue to preserve the sanctity of the parliament. I want to appeal again that anyone planning to destabilise this country is not doing us any good,” he said.
Recall that in January, while speaking on the appointment of the Director General of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar, Isa Misau, Bauchi-APC accused a minister of leading a plot to remove the Senate President.
“When we were on holiday, so many people were going behind that they should try and remove the senate president. And it was a minister that was spearheading that thing. What is the reason, they said that the senate president would leave APC that they should create problems for him (Saraki). What kind of country is this? Everything is about religion, about tribe,” he said
