Senators who served in the 9th National Assembly have demanded an apology from their colleague, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, over allegations that they looted items from their offices.
ANN reports that Oshiomhole, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Sunday, said that he and most of the federal lawmakers in the 10th National Assembly had to use their personal money to put their offices in shape because the former lawmakers had left them in shambles.
He said that television sets, carpets, and chairs had been looted and that the walls of the offices had been damaged.
Oshiomole (APC Edo North) said, “In spite of the presence of security men and women, television sets, carpets, and chairs were looted by the immediate past senators and House of Representatives members.
“The former lawmakers left their offices in shambles with holes in the walls, which had to be fixed by serving lawmakers from their pockets.”
However, Senator Adeola Solomon (APC Ogun West), who served in the 9th Assembly, said that Oshiomhole’s comments were an embarrassment to the lawmakers and that his privilege had been abused.
In Tuesday’s plenary, the lawmaker said there was no way a senator or their aides could take a pin out of the National Assembly without being accounted for and that the items removed from the offices had been checked and legally passed.
Solomon said he was demanding an apology from Oshiomhole or that he be made to face the Ethics and Privilege Committee.
Solomon said, “My privilege has been abused. A senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria went on National TV and told the whole world that the lawmakers of the ninth Assembly, which I was a part of, looted equipment from their offices.
“We all know that there is no way that a senator or their aides can take a pin out of the National Assembly without being accounted for.
“Each of the items was checked and legally passed and those amounts are deducted from severance packages.”
“I hereby demand that the senator should apologise to the House or be made to face the Ethics and Privilege Committee.”
This newspaper learnt that the motion was seconded and supported by the PDP Kebbi Central Senator, Adamu Aliero.
Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, through a point of order moved that the Senate should dissolve into an executive session to deliberate on the “sensitive” matter.
However, when the motion to go into closed door session was put to voice vote, Senators opted that the matter be discussed in plenary.
To this, Senate President Godswill Akpabio called on Oshiomhole to approach the chair. After a brief talk with Oshiomhole, Akpabio called on Oshiomhole to state his own side of the matter.
Oshiomhole, in his submission, apologised for the comment saying he defended the Senate during his television interview under reference rather than indicting Senators of the 9th Senate of looting their offices.
