BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – Northern Senators’ Forum (NSF), on Wednesday wielded the big stick against its former Chairman who was the Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu (APC, Nasarawa West), over alleged mismanagement of N70 million belonging to the Forum.
Accordingly, the Northern Senators sacked Adamu and immediately replaced him with the immediate past Governor of Sokoto State and Senator representing Sokoto North Senatorial District, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.
Deputy President of the Senate, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu read the letter addressed to the Senate by the Forum in which the members of the Forum insisted on the removal of Adamu and the appointment of Wamakko as its new Chairman.
In the letter, the Northern Senators said they resolved to sack Adamu based on financial misconduct which was investigated and found to be true.
Part of the letter reads: “This is to inform the Senate that the majority signatories of this letter are members of the Northern Senators Forum.
“We have removed Senator Abdullahi Adamu as Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum for financial mismanagement and maladministration. We announce his immediate replacement with Senator Aliyu Wamakko,” the letter said.
While commenting on the matter, a member of the Forum, Senator Shehu Sani, said that under Senator Adamu’s leadership, the NSF could not account for part of the money inherited from the 7th Senate, totalling N70 million.
Sani explained that when the current (8th) senate resumed, Senator Ahmad Lawan tendered the sum of N70 million to the Northern Senators Forum of the 8th Senate, adding that it was gathered by the Forum in the 7th Senate.
Sani further said; “The rumours making the round, whether it is true but I believe most of the senators know is the fact.
“There were allegations that some monkeys raided the ‘Farm House’ of some of the executives in Northern Senators Forum and carted away some of these monies.
“I think this country is becoming a huge joke. First, it was the rodent that drove away the President and we now have snakes consuming about N36 million, and now you have monkeys. So, they don’t want this to be said but I believe that it should be very clear”.
Spokesman of the Forum, Senator Dino Melaye, later confirmed to journalists that members of the Northern Senators’ Forum resolved to relieve Adamu of the chairmanship position based on alleged financial impropriety.
Melaye explained that the monies which belonged to the body were spent without the knowledge of other Executive officers and members, adding that in addition, critical decisions were being taken by Adamu without consultation with other stakeholders of the Forum.
Melaye said, “The Forum has become moribund and ineffective under the Nasarawa-born lawmaker. Accordingly, the change in the Forum’s leadership has become absolutely necessary.
“All I will just say is simple, that the decision of the majority of the Northern Senators’ Forum is that they want to have a change of leadership.
“And the allegations investigated and found out to be true is that there was financial mismanagement; that monies were spent without consent of members and Executives were not contacted, and that the Forum is becoming moribund and ineffective.
“We need to inject some vibrancy into the Forum and that many positions have been taken without consulting with the Executives and other members of the Forum.”
When contacted for his comment, Senator Adamu said that he was not ready to say anything with respect to his removal, saying however that he would react at the appropriate time if necessary.
