ABUJA, NIGERIA — The lawmaker representing Edo North Senatorial District, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has officially reversed his position regarding controversial claims of signature forgery connected to the recent suspension of Kogi Central lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. In a strongly worded public statement issued to clear the air, the high-ranking legislator and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress clarified that his previous remarks during a live television interview were completely taken out of context and misrepresented by the public and media outlets.
The burgeoning controversy had threatened to create a fresh rift within the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly, prompting swift interventions from the leadership of the red chamber. Oshiomhole, a veteran labour leader and former Executive Governor of Edo State known for his outspoken nature, noted that the narrative circulating across media platforms did not accurately reflect the specific nature of his statements. He vehemently denied establishing or validating any definitive claims that a criminal act of forgery had occurred during the processing of the disciplinary committee's final paperwork.
The insinuation that he said signatures of Senators were forged is a complete misrepresentation of what he actually said, the Edo North lawmaker noted in his clarifying statement. He explained in detail that he never claimed any lawmaker’s signature was forged to pass the specialized committee’s report which ultimately recommended the suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan from legislative duties. Instead, the former governor stated that he was merely referencing an informal comment made by an unnamed member of the committee who claimed that the regular attendance signatures of some senators were attached to the final report document rather than deliberate endorsements of the verdict itself.
In a bid to restore parliamentary harmony, Oshiomhole expressed full agreement with Senate Spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, who had earlier moved to douse the tension by debunking the narrative of institutional fraud. The Edo North representative emphasized that since no colleague had formally approach him with a direct complaint of identity theft or documentation manipulation, it was wrong for the public to transform his generic commentary into an authoritative accusation against the Senate leadership.
He stated that he agrees absolutely with the spokesperson of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Yemi Adaramodu, that no signature of Senators was forged in the matter of Natasha Akpoti's suspension. This is because no fellow Senator complained directly to him that his or her signature was forged. The only comment he made during the television appearance 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 he alleged that any Senator’s signature was forged is completely untrue and should be disregarded by the public.
The clarification follows an intense reaction from the official image-maker of the red chamber. Senate Spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu had, in reaction to the initial waves of media reports on Tuesday, clarified to legislative correspondents that no lawmaker has raised any formal complaint about forged signatures or procedural irregularities regarding the final presentation of the investigative report. Adaramodu, who happened to serve as an active member of the specific disciplinary committee that thoroughly investigated the infractions leading to the suspension, maintained that Nigerian Senators are mature, highly experienced, and independent-minded individuals who would not hesitate to raise loud objections on the floor of the Senate if their fundamental legislative rights or identities were violated.
Meanwhile, in his latest press release, Oshiomhole has emphasized that the administrative and political controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension has been successfully put to rest and that the upper legislative chamber has moved past the issue to focus on critical matters of national development. He urged political commentators to stop dwelling on the disciplinary actions taken by the chamber, noting that the internal mechanisms of the National Assembly had dealt with the situation in accordance with standing rules.
As far as he is concerned, the issue of suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been put to rest and the Senate has since moved on to face its core legislative mandates. The lawmaker explained that the context in which he made a comment on the Senator Natasha Akpoti issue was triggered purely by the Africa Independent Television interviewer’s claim that Senate Leader, Distinguished Senator Bamidele Opeyemi, had reportedly referred to the entire episode as the lowest point of the three years of the Tenth Senate. Oshiomhole noted that his response was conditional, stating that if indeed the Senate Leader said so, yes, it should be taken seriously because he is a leader who is not given to frivolities or exaggeration.
The veteran politician added that he felt the profound need to reiterate his stance to prevent political detractors from using his words to manufacture an institutional crisis within the National Assembly. Once again, he emphasized with finality that no Senator told him that his or her signature was forged, thereby closing the door on further media speculations regarding the legitimacy of the suspension process. With this unified front presented by both Oshiomhole and the Senate leadership, the upper chamber looks to maintain its stability amid ongoing national legislative debates.
