Senate accuses Sen Adamu of plotting to remove Saraki

* Senator may be suspended over alleged plot to destabilise Red Chamber

.Sen Adamu: Allegations baseless, says he’s not interested in Saraki’s position

Senator representing Nasarawa, Senator Abdullahi Adamu is in a fix as his colleagues on Thursday accused him of plotting to remove the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, destabilize the Upper Chamber and throw the leadership in disarray.

Senator Adamu has been under the watchful eyes of the Senate leadership since he led 10 of his colleagues last month in protest against the reordering of sequence of the 2019 general elections adopted by the Senate in the passed 2010 Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.

He had alleged that the moves to re-order the sequence of the 2019 election was targeted at President Muhammadu Buhari, vowing to fight to reverse the process.

Indication that the Nasarawa Senator may run into trouble with his colleagues emerged during the Plenary when Senator Obinna Ogba (PDP, Ebonyi Central) raised the alarm through order 43 of the Senate standing rules, stating that documentary evidence on the alleged plot was already in his possession for the Senate to nip the it in the bud.

He said: “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 Abdullahi Adamu.

“In January, Senator Isah Hamman Misau (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 distabilise 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 distabilise the country or the Senate. Anything that will distabilise our democracy, we should avoid it.

“If there is any issue going on, you have an opportunity to raise it here. But not to go outside and start planning with civil organisations, market women and others to lead protests against the leadership of the Senate.

“I want this matter to be investigated. I have evidence to show what I am saying. There is a telephone discussion going on between Senator Abdullahi Adamu 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”.

But the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, called on the Senator to lay the alleged documentary evidence, mandating the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition to carry out thorough investigation on the allegation and report back within two weeks.

According to him, anybody plotting to destabilise the Senate is an enemy of democracy and not out to do any body any good.

Ekweremadu said, “The difference between military, autocratic or any oppressive regime and 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 anybody who is interested in distabilising this country is not doing anybody any good.

“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”.

By the development, Senator Abdullahi Adamu faces sanction since he may be suspended from the Senate for a specified time if found culpable of the allegation against him.

The Senate had earlier applied a stiff sanction on Senator Ali Ndume last year after he was made to face the Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee for daring to call the attention of the Senate to negative reports published on online medium against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Senator Dino Melaye.

But Senator Adamu has debunked the claims of his colleagues, saying there is no iota of truth in the allegations.

Adamu, in a statement he sent from Nasarawa State, said he was not afraid of anyone, just as he described the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, as a son he would not plot against.

He said he had had the opportunity of contesting the seat of the Senate President three years ago, but refrained from doing so because he was never interested in the seat, and would not at this point be showing interest.

‎The statement reads in part: “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 any way after Saraki. Saraki 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 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 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.

“I am not in any way 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.

“As for me, let me repeat that I’m not in any way 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 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”.