Lawmaker representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, Senator Ali Wakili, on Thursday protested against the removal of Senator Abdullahi Adamu as Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum without the general knowledge of its members.

Wakili, who raised a point of order at the plenary, said there was no meeting by members of the forum where they collectively agreed to sack Adamu as caucus leader.

Shortly before plenary was adjourned on Wednesday, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, read a letter from the NSF signed by the Public Relations Officer, Senator Dino Melaye, announcing the sacking of Adamu.

The letter read, “This is to inform the Senate that the majority signatories of members of the Northern Senators Forum have removed Senator Abdullahi Adamu as Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum for financial mismanagement and maladministration. We announce his replacement with Senator Aliyu Wamakko immediately. Find the attached names and signatories of members.”

Ekweremadu however did not read the names on the signatories, while the list was not made available to journalists after enquiries.

On Thursday, Wakili said, “I was not here yesterday but I saw it in the papers and over the television when you announced the removal of Senator Abdullahi Adamu as the leader of the Northern Senators Forum.

“I come from the North and I am an active member of the Northern Senators Forum. At no time have we met and put to question any of the leaders of the Northern Senators Forum.

“It was brought to this place and it was announced and some of our colleagues went to the Press Centre and made statements that referred to some of us as monkeys. We are taking this political brinkmanship beyond the level we are supposed to take it. We are supposed to be wise men.

“The fact that I am not privy and the fact that the northern senators forum was dragged my privilege has been breached because nobody called me for a meeting. Senator Barau Jibrin, secretary of the forum, had never called a meeting. Senator Dino Melaye, the public relations officer of the forum, had never called for a meeting.

“When the announcement was made and the press statement, the spokesman for the Senate led some senators to the Press Centre to make some of these bombastic statements. By this, I want to say that my privilege has been breached because my constituents and other concerned northerners have also expressed their disgust, that why are we trying to destroy our leadership. I want the Senate to take judicial note of what I am saying.”

Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, said, “Alright, point noted.”

Responding to Wakili later at the plenary, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi-Abdullahi, raised a point of order to state that he did not speak for the forum but for the Senate when he addressed journalists on Wednesday.

PUNCH