SAN FRANCISCO, July 22, (THEWILL) – A member of the Presidential Advisory Committee that recommended to the Federal Government the convocation of the National Conference and Chairperson, The Senators Forum, Senator Khairat Abdulrazaq-Gwadabe, has faulted recent media reports linking her to a meeting last weekend with Northern delegates of the confab.
In a statement issued Monday, the Senator, who is also a delegate at the confab, denied attending any strategic meeting with the Northern delegates with the aim of ensuring that “the final report of the Conference when submitted to parliament is obstructed ” and that “the conference report does not see the light of the day.”
Reacting to the reports in a statement, Senator Abdulrazaq-Gwadabe said: “My attention has been drawn to a syndicated story in The Guardian, THISDAY and other Newspapers publication of Monday 21st July, 2014 wherein I was reported to have last weekend attended a “Northern delegates strategic meeting” where certain decisions were taken. “According to the report, I was to ensure that “the final report of the Conference when submitted to parliament is obstructed ” and that “the conference report does not see the light of the day and that this should be done by enlisting the support of members of the National Assembly from the North West, North East and North Central.”
According to Abdulrazaq-Gwadabe, “Different versions of these patently false stories can be found in the following newspapers, THISDAY, Vanguard and many others on their 21st July 2014 edition.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to state without any equivocation that the report is nothing but the figment of the imagination of the reporters and their sponsors as it is deliberately calculated to smear my name and integrity. That perhaps explains why the stories are replete with several contradictions.
“It should be stated that I am not a delegate representing Niger State and neither was I contacted on the telephone nor via text messages as reported by all the Newspapers. It should be noted that it is only the PUNCH newspaper that attempted reaching me though unsuccessfully via text and as such the newspaper could not publish any news in relation to the matter. l also did not attend any meeting of Northern delegates last weekend.”
Senator Abdulrazaq-Gwadabe stated further: “May I state that I was a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee that recommended to the Government to organize the National Conference. Subsequently I was nominated as a delegate, by the grace of my colleagues in my capacity as the Chairman of the Senators Forum along with five other colleagues. The Forum is for both serving and non-serving Senators, which strive to strengthen our democracy.
“It should be noted that in pursuant to the exercise of the mantle of leadership foisted on me, I wrote to each of the distinguished Senators who are delegates at the Conference to make patriotic contributions during plenary and committee meetings and deploy their rich Senatorial experience to influence the final outcome of the conference for a more united and stronger Nigeria .
“It is therefore very clear that those behind the malicious syndicated stories published by The Guardian , THISDAY and some other newspapers simply want to tarnish my hard-earned reputation as a nation builder. Accordingly, I have instructed my lawyers to demand unreserved apologies from the publishers.
“Without any fear of contradiction, I wish to reiterate my commitment as a bridge builder to reaffirm my belief in one united and peaceful Nigeria and I will continue to do everything needful for the success of the National Conference which I have contributed immensely towards its actualisation.”
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