The family of late Senator, Ifeanyi Ubah, has challenged the Nigerian Senate to provide pictorial or video evidence showing that Nigeria’s upper legislature chamber attended the burial of their late colleague.
OsunDailyNG reported that Ubah, who was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream, died on 26th July, 2024.
However, there have been reports that the Senate was not properly represented during Ubah’s burial.
Reacting to the allegation in a statement on Sunday by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, APC, Ekiti South, the lawmakers stated that there was no truth to the claim.
They insisted that the late politician was accorded all rites and honours of a member of the Senate.
However, a family member who spoke to SaharaReporters on Monday, described the claim that 100 Senators attended the night of tribute of Senator Ubah held at the NAF Event Centre Abuja as a big lie.
Uba’s family said not more than 30 Senators attended the event, stressing that the upper chamber did not impressively attend the burial of their late colleague who died in service.
The family maintained that if the Senate Spokesman had contrary pictorial or video evidence to refute their position, he should present such to the public.
The family source said, “On Saturday, 17th August 2024, the Senate President led a delegation of four Senators – namely Senator Abiru Adetokunbo, Senator Saliu Mustapha, Senator Karimi Steve and Senator Osita Ngwu and attended the wedding of daughter of ranking Senator Victor Umeh, and been that he was in Lagos same day, paid a condolence visit to the family of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in the same Lagos.
“It is a big lie that 100 Senators attended the night of tribute of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah held on Monday evening, 18th Nov 2024 at NAF event centre Abuja. The Senators that attended the event were not up to 30 in number, despite the fact that the event held in Abuja. Let the Senate Spokesman provide pictorial or video evidence to rebut this open fact instead of lying and deceiving the public that 100 Senators attended the event.”
Another family source added, “On Tuesday, 19th November 2024, the Senate decorated Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’s seat with National flag and also that the Senate dedicated the whole legislative day of the said date to pay tribute to the late Senator Ubah is no big deal. It is their responsibility and role since Senator Ifeanyi Ubah died in active service as serving Senator.
“The barefaced lie that substantial Senators attended Senator Ifeanyi Uba’s burial in Nnewi on 22nd November 2024, cannot hold water.
“Let the Senate Spokesman list the names of senators that attended the burial. We reiterate that only nine senators attended the burial out of 109 Senators – seven senators from the South East, one from South South and one from North Central. This nine senators represent only 8.2% Senators attendance.
“We seriously challenge the Senate Spokesman to provide evidence to rebutt the issue of Senate not liaising with the burial organising committee to know arrangements for the burial of their colleague or that they did not contribute a kobo for logistics for burial arrangements/sent any money to the burial committee for their departed colleague.”
