Natasha Saga: Oshiomhole Disowns Forgery Claim

Edo North Senator Adams Oshiomhole has cleared the air on comments he made about the suspension of Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, insisting he never alleged that any lawmaker’s signature was forged.

The former Edo governor said his remarks during an interview on AIT were twisted by the public and the media.

“The insinuation that I said signatures of Senators were forged is a complete misrepresentation of what I actually said,” Oshiomhole stated.

He explained that he was only repeating what a member of the committee had told him: that attendance signatures of some senators were attached to the final report recommending Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension. He stressed that he never claimed any senator’s signature was faked to pass the report.

“I agree absolutely with the spokesperson of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Yemi Adaramodu, that no signature of Senators was forged in Natasha Akpoti’s suspension,” he said. “This is because, no Senator complained to me that his or her signature was forged.”

“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.”

Senate Spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu had earlier pushed back on Tuesday, saying no lawmaker formally complained about forged signatures or procedural flaws. Adaramodu, who sat on the committee that handled the matter, said senators are “mature and independent-minded” and would have spoken up on the floor if their rights were breached.

Oshiomhole now says the Senate has moved on from the controversy.

“As far as I am concerned, the issue of suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been put to rest and the Senate has since moved on,” he said.

He added that his comment came up because the AIT interviewer quoted Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele as calling the saga the “lowest point of the 3 years of the 10th Senate.”

“If indeed the Senate Leader said so, yes it should be taken seriously, because he is not given to frivolities,” Oshiomhole replied.

He closed by repeating: “Once again, I emphasise that no Senator told me that his or her signature was forged.”