TheCable

Ali Wakili, senator representing Bauchi south (pictured middle), has faulted the removal of Abdullahi Adamu, senator representing Nasarawa west, as chairman of the northern senators forum.

He also taunted Shehu Sani, his Kaduna central counterpart, for saying monkeys carted away N70 million from Adamu’s farmhouse.

On Wednesday, Adamu was removed as chairman of the forum for “financial mismanagement and maladministration”.

Sani had said the N70 million belonging to the northern caucus in the senate got missing under Adamu’s watch.

But speaking on the floor of the senate on Thursday, Wakili questioned leaders of the caucus for replacing the Nasarawa legislator.

Wakili said as an active member of the forum, his privilege was breached because he was not called to any meeting where the decision to remove Adamu was taken.

“Your Excellency I come from the north. I am an active member of the northern senators’ forum. At no time did we meet and put to question any of the leaders of the northern senators’ forum,” Wakili said.

“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.

“Senator Barau Jibrin, secretary of the forum, never called a meeting. Senator Dino Melaye, the public relations officer of the forum, never called for a meeting. When the announcement was and made and the press statement, the spokesman of 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 note of what I am saying.”

Wakili is one of the senators who opposed the amended election timetable for 2019 elections.