The member representing Edo South senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, on Saturday said that he had no regrets moving the motion to invoke Section 143 of the Constitution against President Muhammadu Buhari for allowing the withdrawal of $496m for the purchase of aircraft.
Urhoghide made this known during an interview with journalists in Benin, Edo State, less than 24 hours after he was allegedly attacked by some youths at the Benin Airport.
He stated that the right thing the President would have done was to present a supplementary budget to the National Assembly for the purchase of the aircraft, wondering why that was not done since the offer for the purchase was made in December 2017, with an expiry date of February 21, 2018.
He said, “The request could have come. In the action that was taken, even though the purpose was noble, the right position was not adopted. They had ample time to bring the requests but they did not.
“We could have said more aircraft should be bought. What they have done is mumbo-jumbo. The President has violated the Constitution, which is the truth. If anybody is pretending that nothing has been done, the person should go to a mental home. Section 80 has been violated.”
He added, “I do not have any regret for what I said. I stand on it. Where did I embarrass the President? Because of selfish interest here, people want to show to the President that everybody is cowed in Edo.
“This is not a war I want to fight on a partisan basis. I have immunity on what I said on the floor of the Senate. I am being crucified outside for what I said during plenary.
“I am going to report back to the Senate. All the security agencies must see the threat I am subjected to because I performed my duty as a Senator.”
Urhoghide, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, while narrating his ordeal at the airport, said that he had the premonition that he would be attacked.
According to him, “They (critics) have promised to deal with me. If not for the commissioner of police yesterday, nobody knows what would have happened. I obeyed the police commissioner; I remained where I was until the governor came.
“We were side by side talking when a boy hit my head. The governor walked away. Before I left Abuja, I knew what was happening and the person responsible for it. I called him to tell him that it was unnecessary but he did not pick his calls.
“It would be cowardice for me to abort the journey. I want to see what will happen. They display their thuggery; I am not cowed by it. I will represent my constituency and do whatever I want to do. I am going to take it to a proper court.”
He continued, “It is a shame that at this time of our political development when other nations are moving in the right direction and the type of representation the eighth assembly has provided since 2015, people could still be cowed and harassed because of the views they have expressed, which is defending the constitution. (Punch)
