I never called Melaye clown, Saraki controverts Nasarawa ex-gov

The Senate President, Abubakar Bukola, yesterday contradicted the representative of Nasarawa West and former governor, Abdullahi Adamu, maintaining that there was never a time he called a fellow colleague, Dino Melaye (Kogi West), a clown.

He accused Adamu of “always doing things that suits his situation at any point in time.”

The Nasarawa ex-governor had reportedly claimed that Saraki once referred to Melaye as “clown” in a private chat with him.

But the Senate President in a statement in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, stated: “I have deliberately ignored the antics of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, especially his constant media attacks on me and the Senate since the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dusted his file on alleged case of corruption and also went ahead to arraign his son in court.

“So far, I had refrained from responding in kind out of respect for his age.

However, it seems he has misread my maturity and respect for docility.

He feels the best way to play his self-survival game and ingratiate himself to the government in order to save his skin is for him to be seen to be fighting me, even if that would require him to tell brazen lies and peddle mischief.”

He went on: “First, I could not have referred to my colleague, Senator Dino Melaye as a clown, knowing that from available records, he has so far outshined and performed better than Adamu in terms of the number of bills sponsored, motions raised and contributions to debates. Clearly, Adamu’s seven years cannot be compared to Melaye’s three years.

“Senator Adamu is free to challenge this assertion by showing his records.

“I urge people to check his contributions on the floor before the EFCC moved against him and his son and they will see that this is a latter day selfish supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari.”