Fact Check: Oshiomhole's Claim About Akpoti-Uduaghan's Suspension Is Not True

Nigerian politicians often say the media gets their statements wrong. This happens when they face backlash for what they say in public.

A recent example is from Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole. During an interview on AIT’s Politics Today on Monday, he claimed that some senators whose names and signatures were on the suspension recommendation for Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, last year, did not actually sign or support the suspension.

After a video clip of the interview started going viral on social media, it caught people’s attention. This also led to talk that the recommendation for Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension might have been tampered with to benefit the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

Many newspapers reported that Mr Oshiomhole claimed some senators’ signatures were forged to get the suspension approved. Various blogs picked up on this too.

Less than 24 hours later, Mr Oshiomhole released a statement denying he claimed forgery. He said the media misinterpreted his words.

What Oshiomhole Actually Said

The interviewer first asked Mr Oshiomhole to comment on Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele’s statement. Bamidele said that the suspension of Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan was one of the Senate’s lowest points in recent times.

Mr Oshiomhole, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, replied that some senators complained their names appeared on the suspension recommendation without their approval.

He specifically mentioned the senator for the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Kingibe, as one of those who voiced concerns. He said, "There are people who wonder, who claim that their signatures were forged on that document. Someone like Senator Kingibe…she told me, ‘but I didn’t sign that report, and I didn’t agree with the content,’ but her name was published."

Mr Oshiomhole explained that senators usually endorse committee reports by signing them. Senators who disagree with a report can choose not to sign it.

"You see, the way the Senate works is with committees, particularly through its oversight functions. They’ll hold a hearing and hear from everyone who has something to say. Then the committee will decide and agree on its findings and specific recommendations, and members of the committee are expected to sign the report to reflect the committee’s collective decision. So, where many don’t accept, they could abstain from signing it because, to sign is to endorse," he said.

He added that about three senators did not sign the recommendation, but their names were still on it.

"So, there are one or two or three senators who said they didn’t sign, ‘but our names were there, how?’ Some said they may have attached an attendance register, which is inappropriate. But that is not my problem. If Opeyemi said so, I think you should take it seriously," he said.

Findings

The interview makes it clear that Mr Oshiomhole did say some senators’ signatures were forged regarding Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension. Reports saying he raised claims of forged signatures are backed by his comments during the interview.

If someone does not sign a document but later sees their signature on it, this usually means the signature may have been forged or wrongly added.

Sources say Mr Oshiomhole may have felt pressure from colleagues, leading to his later denial of his statement.

Still, the interview shows that Mr Oshiomhole presented the allegation as a complaint from other senators rather than as a claim he had checked himself.

The newspaper had earlier reported that the signatures on the report were allegedly taken from the attendance register.

Verdict

Mr Oshiomhole’s claim that he did not say senators’ signatures were forged contradicts his actual words. He could have taken responsibility for his statement and apologized to his colleagues instead of blaming the media for misinterpretation.