THREAT TO NAME FRAUDSTERS IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CAUSES UPROAR

Senate President, David Mark

An attempt by Senator Nuhu Aliyu a ranking Senator and a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police to name fraudsters amongst lawmakers at the National Assembly was met with resistance from members causing a near fisticuff.

 

Aliyu had in 2006 made the same allegation that some members of the National Assembly had prior to their election been involved in scam otherwise referred to as 419. His allegation never then never saw the light of day.

 

In a motion tagged "Direction and Tempo of the War on Corruption'' sponsored by Senator Sola Akinyede on the floor of the Senate, Senator Aliyu dropped the bombshell again when he announced that the hallowed chambers of the national Assembly has been invaded by fraudsters.

 

The Niger State born lawmaker was quickly shut down by other Senators led by first time Senator Smart Adeyemi, a former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalist. Senator Ayogu Eze and Ikechukwu Obiora followed citing order 15 of the Senate Standing Rule.

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The Senate later directed its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition to investigate the allegation and report back in two weeks.

 

Eze asked the Senate to compel Aliyu to either withdraw his statements or be made to mention those 419 men to the Senate Committee on Ethics at a special investigation.

 

The Senate also urged the Federal Government to strengthen the fight against corruption while inviting the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde to appear before it to brief the Senate on its plans to sustain the war against corruption.