The Nigerian Senate underscored its commitment to taking firm action against any future attempts to discredit it, declaring that such infractions would be treated within the bounds of existing laws.
Abuja, Nigeria – The Nigerian Senate has issued a stern warning against what it describes as “vicious attempts” to tarnish its image and that of its leadership.
The Senate’s stance was articulated in a statement released on Friday by the Senate Leader’s Directorate of Media and Public Affairs.
The statement, titled “Senate Frowns at False Claims Against Bamidele, Mulls Stiffer Action,” expressed deep concern over recent efforts aimed at undermining public trust in the National Assembly. The Senate made it clear that it would no longer tolerate cases of blackmail against its members.
This reaction follows a petition directed at Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, which accused him of pressuring the Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mr. Abba Aliyu, into awarding contracts to companies allegedly linked to him.
The petition, reportedly signed by David Udoh, Convener of the Public Procurement Transparency Group, claims these actions violate the Public Procurement Act of 2007.
However, the Senate has dismissed these allegations as baseless and lacking credible evidence.
According to the statement, the REA has also refuted the claims, asserting that its management has never been pressured to compromise the integrity of its procurement processes.
Further investigations conducted by Bamidele’s office revealed that the Public Procurement Transparency Group is not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, and its Convener, David Udoh, is untraceable, with a non-functional phone number.
Additionally, it was confirmed that no petition had been submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) by the group.
In its warning to those behind the alleged misinformation campaigns, the Senate Leader’s office emphasized that Nigeria operates under a federal system governed by the Constitution, Acts of the National Assembly, and judicial precedents.
The office announced its intention to pursue legal action against individuals or groups found guilty of blackmailing the Senate or its leadership.
“We have endured enough of all sorts of cheap blackmail by faceless groups and individuals using some bloggers and social media to feed the unsuspecting public with falsehoods and fallacies capable of causing further damage not just to the image of the National Assembly, but also to the public perception of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, especially among the comity of nations,” the statement read.
The Nigerian Senate underscored its commitment to taking firm action against any future attempts to discredit it, declaring that such infractions would be treated within the bounds of existing laws.
“Henceforth, we shall no more treat cases of cheap blackmail against the Senate, its leadership, and the National Assembly lightly. But we shall treat such infractions within the confines of extant laws, and whoever is found guilty in the process shall face the full wrath of the law,” the statement concluded.
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