Sen. Adams Oshiomhole has pushed back against claims that he accused senators of forging signatures in the process that led to the suspension of Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing such reports as a distortion of his comments.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the Edo North senator said his remarks during an appearance on AIT’s Politics Today had been twisted, creating the false impression that he alleged foul play among members of the Senate.
“My remarks during an appearance on AIT’s Politics Today were misrepresented, leading to the false impression that I accused some senators of forging signatures.
“The insinuation that I said signatures of senators were forged is a complete misrepresentation of what I actually said,” he said.
Drawing a clear line in the sand, Oshiomhole stated that he was in full agreement with Senate spokesman, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu, that no senator’s signature was forged during the proceedings that culminated in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension.
The former governor of Edo State noted that at no point did any senator approach him with allegations of forged signatures.
“The only comment I made is that one senator, who is a member of the committee, claimed that the signatures of attendance of some senators were attached to the final report.
“Any suggestion to the effect that I alleged that any senator’s signature was forged is completely untrue and should be disregarded,” he said.
Oshiomhole further remarked that the dust surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension had largely settled and that the Senate had since turned the page on the matter.
He explained that his comments emerged during a discussion on a statement attributed to Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele by the programme’s interviewer, who claimed Bamidele had described the controversy as “the lowest point of the three years of the 10th Senate.”
Responding during the interview, Oshiomhole said that if the Senate Leader truly made such a remark, it warranted attention because Bamidele was “not given to frivolities.”
Reiterating his position, the lawmaker maintained that no senator informed him of any forged signature and expressed regret over any misunderstanding that may have arisen from his comments.
“Finally, I regret if my comments may have caused embarrassment to any senator or the 10th Senate as an institution,” he said.
