By Anayo Akwitti
Senator Adams Oshiomhole has denied allegations that he claimed signatures of senators were forged in connection with the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing such reports as a misrepresentation of his comments.
In a disclaimer issued on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said his remarks during an interview on AIT’s Politics Today on June 15 had been misconstrued, prompting him to clarify his position.
The former Edo State governor stated that he never alleged that any senator’s signature was forged during the process that led to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension.
According to him, he agreed with the Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, that no senator had reported to him that his or her signature was forged.
Oshiomhole explained that the only observation he made was that a senator, who is a member of the committee involved in the matter, had claimed that attendance signatures of some senators were attached to the committee’s final report.
“The insinuation that I said signatures of senators were forged is a complete misrepresentation of what I actually said,” he stated.
He added that any suggestion that he alleged forgery of senators’ signatures was “completely untrue” and should be disregarded.
The senator further noted that the controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension should be considered settled, stressing that the Senate had moved on from the matter.
Providing context for his comments during the television interview, Oshiomhole said he was responding to a claim attributed to Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who reportedly described the Akpoti-Uduaghan issue as the “lowest point” of the 10th Senate.
He said his response was that such a statement should be taken seriously if indeed it was made by the Senate leader, whom he described as not being “given to frivolities.”
Oshiomhole reiterated that no senator informed him that his or her signature had been forged and expressed regret if his comments caused embarrassment to any senator or to the Senate as an institution.
“Finally, I regret if my comments may have caused embarrassment to any senator or the 10th Senate as an institution,” he said.
