Drama as Oshiomhole Apologises Over Looting Allegations against National Assembly Members

Sunday Aborisade, Abuja

A mild drama ensued on the floor of the Senate yesterday, when Senator Adams Oshiomhole apologised to his colleagues who served in the 9th Senate, who claimed that the former Edo State governor accused them of allegedly vandalising their offices at the expiration of the 9th Assembly.

Oshiomole, who was the former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, had appeared on Channels Television on Sunday, and had accused some 9th Assembly senators and members of the House of Representatives of vandalising and allegedly looting some of the items in their offices including carpet.

He had also alleged that plasma television sets, carpet and computers were carted away by the former senators and House of Representatives members leaving the offices empty for the new lawmakers.

He had said, “I was shocked by the level of vandalisation of properties of the National Assembly. Televisions were carted away, carpet was carted away, Senators’ chairs were carted away.

“I had to use my money and someone also decided to deliver to me a printer, to give me a laptop to use in my office.

“I had to buy the carpet and pay the cost of fixing it. I had to pay some young people to clean the office to restore the new carpet. I had to pay to repaint my office. I will produce you the receipt.

“People told me there’s also the same level of vandalisation in the House Representatives,” Oshiomhole had stated during the television programme on Sunday.

However, at plenary yesterday, the Senator who represented Lagos West Senatorial District in the 9th Assembly, but now representing Ogun West Senatorial District in the 10th Assembly, Solomon Adeola, raised a point of order to draw attention of his colleagues to Oshiomole’s comment.

Adeola, claimed that the Edo North Senator made a false allegation against members of the 9th Assembly senators.

In his point of order, Adeola sought the Senate permission to compel Oshiomole to apologise to the upper legislative chamber and members of the 9th Assembly for the misinformation against them.

Adeola said, “He (Oshiomhole) was addressing Nigerians about this Senate and knowing fully well that any Senator cannot move anything outside the National Assembly without approval.

“If you move anything in a way that is not in compliance or without approval of the National Assembly Management, your severance allowances will not be paid.”

Adeola, therefore moved a motion that the Senate should compel Oshiomhole to apologise and his motion was supported by Senator Adamu Aliero, who is representing Kebbi Central Senatorial District on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party.

At that point, the Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, through a point of order, moved that the matter should be resolved behind closed doors or be referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, put Ndume’s motion on whether the matter be treated at closed session or not, to voice and an overwhelming ‘Nay’ from majority of the federal lawmakers, knocked off the Chief Whip’s motion.

Senator Agom Jarigbe representing Cross River North Senatorial District, drew the attention of the presiding officer to the fact that Oshiomhole deserved to be heard.

Akpabio then summoned Oshiomhole for a brief chat, after the parley, he asked the former Edo State governor to address the chamber

In his defense, Oshiomole explained that he made the comment while speaking against the backdrop of the fact that issue of N70 billion allocated to support the working condition of the National Assembly, was allegedly shared by lawmakers as palliatives.

He said, “I didn’t address social media, I spoke with a respected TV station. The question was put to me by the TV host as to what justified the appropriation for the comfort of the national assembly.”

The Senator said he was merely trying to defend the integrity of the Senate as an institution on the matter.

He said, “I said many of my colleagues in the 10th Senate had to use their personal money to get new equipment in their offices because the offices were empty at the time they were inaugurated into the senate.

“The allegation was made by the TV host, at no time have I ever said the senators looted their offices.

“What I said was that offices were vandalised. I said it on the television not on the social media. I said many senators had to use their money to get things because many items had been removed by the time they got to the office.

“Even before receiving our salaries, I said some of us had to use our personal money to equip our offices. I bought rugs and television sets in my office.

“Having listened to my explanation, that was not the intention and that was not my statement and to those who think I have offended them.

 “I therefore apologise to anyone who thinks that I have offended them based on the honest remarks because I cannot leave my home and go to the media to abuse anybody.”

The Senate President then explained that the N70 billion allocated to the National Assembly was not for palliative but to assist lawmakers replace some of the things that needed to be in their offices.

“The N70 billion was not for palliative, it was not for rice, it was to replace some of the things that are not there,” Mr Akpabio said.

The Senate President nevertheless wondered why senators at the end of their tenure should remove rugs they had used for four years.

Akpabio said he never took any of the items he used in the 8th Senate away despite the fact that he paid for them.

The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, explained that the items were usually assessed by the National Assembly Management and asked the lawmakers to either buy them or allow the institution to auction them.