Senate disputes Oshiomhole’s claim over signatures on Natasha Akpoti suspension report

Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, has claimed that the signatures of at least three lawmakers were forged or improperly included on the report that recommended the six-month suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central. Oshiomhole spoke while responding to comments by Opeyemi Bamidele, the senate leader, who described Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension as one of […] The post “Three Senators Didn’t Sign Natasha Akpoti’s Suspension Report But Found Their Names On It” – Oshiomhole appeared first on Information Nigeria.

 Yemi Adaramodu, Senate spokesperson, says the upper legislative chamber will review recent comments by Adams Oshiomhole on the suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central.   Speaking in a telephone conversation with TheCable on Tuesday, Adaramodu also dismissed Oshiomhole’s claim that some senators’ signatures were forged or improperly included in the report that recommended Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension.   “That is not true. Signatures forged, over what?” he said.   Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, had alleged in an interview on AIT that some lawmakers whose names appeared on the report did not append their signatures to the document.     The former Edo governor cited Ireti Kingibe, senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), whom he claimed told him that she only signed the attendance register of the committee meeting and not the suspension report.   Adaramodu said no senator had raised such concerns before the senate.   “If Senator Kingibe had anything against any procedure, she would report it on the floor of the senate, not to an individual,” he said.     “But it is not even true, because I was part of the ethics and public petitions committee that listened to the matter.   “Nobody will say that he or she was coerced or somebody’s signature was forged; that has never happened in the senate and it cannot happen. It has never happened.   “Senators are independent-minded people. We are mature men and women. And if you have any infraction against anybody, that person can, without any advocate from anywhere, that person will show it. So there’s nothing like that. I’m just hearing it for the first time. That’s very strange.”   Asked whether the senate would sanction Oshiomhole over the allegations, Adaramodu said the chamber would first examine the remarks.     “We are going to review any statements made by him. The senate will take a cursory look at either extraneous, spontaneous or intentional comments from any senator appropriately,” he added.   “We are going to look into it. We will take a stand and everyone will know where we stand. But we can say no senator has reported that his or her senator was forged during the Natasha matter. “It was debated on the floor of the senate openly at the plenary in the full glare of every Nigerian and even the international audience, and so nothing to hide.   “All Nigerians knew where we stood then on the issue of Natasha… that she ran foul of the senate’s orders. And we are orderly because we are bounded by orders of the senate.”   Oshiomhole had alleged that at least three senators privately told him they did not sign the report recommending Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension despite their names appearing on the document.   Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended in March 2025 over allegations of gross misconduct and unruly behaviour following her dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Adams Oshiomhole, a senator representing Edo North, has claimed that the signatures of at least three lawmakers were forged or improperly included in the report that recommended the six-month suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a senator representing Kogi Central.   Oshiomhole spoke while responding to comments by Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate leader, who described Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension as one of the lowest points of the 10th Senate.   Speaking in an interview on AIT, the former governor of Edo state said some senators whose names appeared on the report had privately told him they did not sign the document or endorse its recommendations.   He cited Ireti Kingibe, senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who, according to him, expressed surprise at seeing her name listed.     “The committee does a hearing; members are expected to sign the report to endorse it. If you don’t agree, you can abstain. But some said they didn’t sign, yet their names were published,” Oshiomhole said.   “People like Senator Ireti Kingibe. She told me, ‘But I didn’t sign that report. But my name was published'”.   He suggested that attendance registers may have been misused in place of actual signatures on the report, describing the development as inappropriate.   “So, where many don’t accept the content, they could abstain from signing it because to sign is to endorse. One, two or three senators said, ‘We didn’t sign, but our names were there,” he said.   “But how? Some say maybe they attached an attendance register, which is not the appropriate thing. But that’s not my problem. If Opeyemi said so, I think you should take it seriously.”   Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended in March 2025 following allegations of gross misconduct and unruly behaviour, linked to her persistent accusations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.   The suspension barred her from the national assembly complex, halted her salary and allowances, and led to the sealing of her office.