Majority Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba, has rebutted media reports that the Federal Government ordered the withdrawal of the diplomatic passports of National Assembly members, including President of the Senate, David Mark and Speaker of House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal.
Ndoma-Egba, who made the rebuttal in an interview, said Federal Government has no reason to withdraw the diplomatic passport of National Assembly members, adding that it was a figment of the imagination of those peddling the rumour.
"As we speak, I have my diplomatic passport intact. Nobody's passport has been withdrawn as being reported. The report is completely baseless and unfounded. In fact, it is evidently a figment of the imagination of those behind the story and spreading the rumour. Why would the Federal Government order the withdrawal of the diplomatic passport of lawmakers? On what basis would such an action be taken?
There is nothing like that. The Federal Government doesn't have any reason to give such order," Ndoma-Egba maintained.
Media reports had indicated that the reason for the order might not be unconnected with the opposition the Presidency is currently receiving from the National Assembly members and visit of the Abubakar Baraje-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the two chambers of the federal legislature.
On the money reportedly shared to some Senators and House members by the Presidency to induce them to impeach Mark and Tambuwal, the Senate leader said: "I am not aware that any money was shared to members of the National Assembly for whatever purpose. Who shared the money? How was it shared? Where was it shared? Who benefitted from the sharing? And what was it meant for? As far as I am concerned, no money was shared to anybody. Nobody is planning to impeach anybody. All these reports have no basis. They are not true."
