The Nigerian Senate has expressed disapproval of a petition filed against Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele by David Udoh, the Convener of the Public Procurement Transparency Group. The Senate’s Media and Public Affairs Directorate released a statement on Friday in Abuja addressing the matter.
Udoh’s petition, submitted to Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN), Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleges that Bamidele exerted pressure on Mr. Abba Aliyu, Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), to award contracts to companies associated with him. The petition claims this is in violation of the Public Procurement Act of 2007.
The Senate’s statement refuted these allegations, labeling them as unfounded and lacking evidence. It noted that the REA had already issued a rebuttal, asserting that it had not been pressured to compromise its procurement process. The agency emphasized its commitment to transparency, fairness, and adherence to due process in all procurement activities.
The statement further criticized the petition as a form of “cheap blackmail” aimed at tarnishing the image of the National Assembly and Nigeria’s reputation on the global stage. It revealed that preliminary checks indicated the Public Procurement Transparency Group is unregistered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, and its Convener, David Udoh, is virtually unreachable. Additionally, no official petition had been submitted to the ICPC by this group.
In conclusion, the Senate declared its intention to no longer tolerate such baseless attacks. It vowed to address future incidents of blackmail against the Senate, its leadership, and the National Assembly in accordance with the law, promising to hold perpetrators accountable.
WRITTEN BY: BLOSSOM AND CHRISTOPHER