Senator Adeola Frowns At Oshiomhole Over 9th Assembly Looting Comment
The Senate experienced a little drama on Tuesday morning during the plenary session when Solomon Adeola, a senator from the Ogun West Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly (NASS), accused Adams Oshiomhole, a senator from the Edo North Senatorial District, of making a live television accusation that senators from the 9th NASS had looted their offices and taken office supplies.
Adeola demanded a public apology from Oshiomhole before the 10th Senate after alleging that he had violated a privilege of his office.
He argued that no Senator plagiarized their offices in the 9th Assembly since the procedure is clear: after every Assembly, parliamentarians must sign for every item in their offices before it is removed.
He enquired as to Oshiomhole’s motivations for making these unsubstantiated claims on live television as the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The majority of the lawmakers rejected Ali Ndume’s attempt to intervene and have the topic discussed in an executive session, despite his request from the Senate Chief Whip.
The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, also intervened to ease the tension in the room, explaining that all items in senators’ offices depreciate by 25% and that it is customary to grant lawmakers the right to make a purchase offer every four years. If the offer is accepted, the legislator will either pay outright for the items or the money will be deducted from their severance pay.
After then, Oshiomhole, the man at the centre of the controversy, was given the chance to speak, during which he expressed his reverence for the National Assembly.
The former APC Chairman clarified that while he had made an appearance on a well-known national television network, he had done so to defend the Senate’s overall integrity.
He emphasized that at no point did he suggest that senators robbed their offices; rather, he said that the offices had been vandalized, forcing senators to buy furniture to meet the basic necessities of their offices.
