Ahmad Lawan denies ordering constituent’s arrest

Ahmad Lawan, senator representing Yobe north district, has denied ordering the arrest of his constituent, Ishe’u Ibrahim Jadda.

Jadda was reportedly arrested by security operatives after criticising the Gashua water supply project over claims that it was failing to deliver water.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Ezrel Tabiowo, the media adviser to the Yobe senator, said Lawan, the former senate president, “has never and will never use his office or influence to suppress dissent or intimidate critics”.

The senator’s stance follows a media report that he was responsible for the arrest of Jadda over his comments on the water project.

According to Tabiowo, the water project in Gashua, a town in Yobe state, which was facilitated by the senator, had been inaugurated and handed over to the state government by the federal government.

The media aide to the Yobe senator did not state whether the water project is currently functional or not.

“This reckless and false publication is nothing but a deliberate attempt to tarnish the reputation of a statesman whose entire public service has been defined by strict adherence to the rule of law, democratic principles, and the rights of citizens to free expression,” the statement reads.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Ahmad Lawan, a seasoned legislator and former President of the Senate, has never, and will never, use his office or influence to suppress dissent or intimidate critics.

“His long-standing record as a lawmaker, even during his years in opposition, speaks to a man who respects divergent opinions and upholds the sanctity of democratic engagement.

“Throughout his tenure in the National Assembly, he has championed transparency, accountability, and open dialogue, even when subjected to the harshest criticisms from Nigerians.

“It is instructive to recall that as President of the 9th Senate between 2019 and 2023, Senator Lawan presided over a chamber where robust debates and opposing views were not only tolerated but encouraged.

“He endured relentless scrutiny but remained steadfast to good governance by always prioritizing the welfare of the people over personal or political vendettas.

“To suggest that a man of such pedigree would orchestrate the arrest of a constituent for exercising his constitutional right to free speech is not only absurd but an affront to his decades of principled service.

“The Gashua Water Supply Project, recently commissioned and handed over to the Yobe State Government by the Federal Government, was facilitated by Senator Lawan in response to a health emergency which has claimed so many lives.

“Gashua, a town in Yobe North Senatorial District, has one of the highest cases of kidney disease, which medical experts have linked to contaminated water sources.

“Rather than being threatened by criticism, Senator Lawan welcomes constructive feedback as a vital tool for improving public service delivery.

“The allegations of his involvement in any form of repression are, therefore, not only false but a calculated attempt to distract from the tangible progress being made in Yobe North.”