27th May, 2010
Sen. Smart Adeyemi (PDP Kogi West) on Wednesday denied media report quoting him to have allegedly referred to members of the National Assembly as corrupt.
Adeyemi, under order 43 of the Senate standing rules, drew the attention of the Senate to a front page story in “The Sun“ publication which allegedly quoted him as asking the EFCC to probe members of the NASS because of their alleged corrupt nature.
“I am coming under order 43 of our standing order rules (personal explanation) to draw your attention to a newspaper publication in The Sun which of course affected me and my other colleagues.
“This is a front page story credited to me. I feel highly disturbed and right now I am a bit incoherent because of this story.
“As a man in the struggle for good governance and a Senator, it will be mischievous of me to say members of the National Assembly are corrupt.
“And there was never a time I asked that the EFCC should come and probe its members as reported in this paper. Other media reported what I said during my visit to the EFCC correctly and am lost for words where this reporter got his story from,’’ Adeyemi said.
Adeyemi, however, said: “I did propose during that visit that we must fight corruption and also added that death penalty should be considered for convicted corrupt public officers.
“I also did say that if there are few corrupt members in the National Assembly, EFCC should go after them.
“This entire publication is a fabrication of the writer,’’ he added.
Senate President, David Mark, who called for a speedy investigation of the matter, said: “This matter is a bit controversial and a serious allegation against this chamber.
“And because of the seriousness of this allegation, we will refer it to an ad hoc committee to deal with it with dispatch and quickly report back to the Senate.
“I must appeal to the committee to handle it very quickly as the allegations are very serious,’’ Mark said.
Members of the committee headed by Senate Chief Whip, Sen. Kanti Bello include Senators Ayogu Eze, Olorunnimbe Mamora, Zaynab Kure, James Manager and Adamu Talba.