Senate reacts to Oshiomhole’s allegations of forged signatures in Natasha suspension report

The Senate has dismissed allegations by Senator Adams Oshiomhole that signatures of some lawmakers were forged or improperly included in the committee report that recommended the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The upper chamber described the claims as unfounded and insisted that all procedures leading to the disciplinary action were conducted in accordance with established parliamentary rules.

The controversy followed comments made by Oshiomhole during an interview on Africa Independent Television (AIT), where he alleged that some members of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions informed him that their names appeared on the report despite not signing or endorsing it. He also suggested that an attendance register may have been used to give the impression of unanimous support for the committee’s recommendations.

Oshiomhole’s remarks came shortly after Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele reportedly described the suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan as one of the most controversial moments of the 10th Senate.

Responding to the allegations, Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu said no senator had formally complained about forgery or manipulation of signatures in the report.

According to Adaramodu, who was also a member of the committee that investigated the matter, Senate procedures do not allow for such irregularities and any lawmaker with concerns would be expected to raise them through official channels.

“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,” he said. “Senators are independent-minded, mature men and women. If there is any infraction, the affected person will speak up.”

He further stated that the disciplinary report was debated and adopted during plenary, where all senators had the opportunity to review and express their views on the committee’s recommendations before a decision was reached.

The Senate also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the integrity of its procedures, noting that any concerns regarding institutional decisions should be addressed through established legislative mechanisms rather than through media speculation.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months following a probe into allegations of misconduct arising from a dispute over seating arrangements and chamber procedures involving Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The suspension resulted in the temporary withdrawal of her legislative privileges, including access to her National Assembly office and certain official benefits, pending the expiration of the disciplinary period.

The disagreement over the committee report has added another layer to the controversy surrounding the suspension, with the Senate leadership maintaining that due process was followed throughout the proceedings.