Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North Senatorial District, has voiced concerns about the authenticity of signatures attached to the Senate committee report that led to the suspension of Kogi Central lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Speaking during an interview on AIT, Oshiomhole alleged that the names of at least three senators were included in the report even though they had insisted they neither signed nor endorsed its recommendations.
The former Edo State governor made the remarks while responding to recent comments by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who described Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension as one of the most regrettable episodes of the current Senate.
According to Oshiomhole, some lawmakers whose names appeared on the committee report later told him that they had not appended their signatures to the document. He specifically cited Senator Ireti Kingibe of the Federal Capital Territory, saying she had expressed surprise after discovering that her name had been listed among those who supposedly endorsed the report.
Oshiomhole explained that committee reports are normally signed by members who agree with their findings, while those who disagree have the option of withholding their signatures or abstaining from endorsing the recommendations.
‘The committee does a hearing; members are expected to sign the report to endorse it,’ Oshiomhole said. ‘If you don’t agree, you can abstain. But some said they didn’t sign, yet their names were published.’
‘People like Senator Ireti Kingibe. She told me, “But I didn’t sign that report. But my name was published”.’
He questioned how the names of lawmakers who allegedly did not sign the report found their way into the final document, suggesting that attendance registers may have been used in place of formal endorsements. According to him, attaching attendance sheets as proof of approval would be inappropriate because attending a meeting does not automatically mean a member supports the committee’s conclusions.
The senator maintained that the concerns raised by Bamidele about the circumstances surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension should not be dismissed, insisting that the matter deserves closer scrutiny.
‘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 by the Senate in March 2025 for six months over allegations of misconduct and unruly behaviour. The disciplinary action followed a series of accusations she made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
As part of the sanctions, the Kogi lawmaker was barred from accessing the National Assembly complex, while her salary and allowances were suspended and her office sealed for the duration of the punishment.
