Senators Emordi, Igbeke fight over N45 million

There are indications that the senate may have inadvertently pitched Senator Alphonsus Igbeke against  Joy Emordi over the illicit quarterly allowance of N45 million  paid to senators.

The upper house had recently pushed for the upward review of the allowance paid to them for no cogent reason, from N45 million to N100 million every three months.

According to Times of Nigeria while the legal battle between the two senators lasted, the leadership decided to pay Emordi the N45 million meant for the months of April-June .

But Igbeke has said he would not allow that to happen. He apparently sees the move as an attempt to settle Emordi who appeared to be a darling of the leadership.

Igbeke who was sworn in on Tuesday to replace Emordi after a protracted court battle served the Senate leadership in March 2010 orders from the Appeal Court, Enugu that he be sworn in, but the Senate leadership snobbed the court orders till Mr. Bello Adoke, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, adviced the Senate that unless there was a court injunction restraining the Senate from admitting  Igbeke, there was no legal grounds to refuse him the oath of office.

It was gathered that the Senate leadership while admitting the advice and obeying it, however decided to pay the second quarter allowance of about N45 million to Mrs Emordi instead of Igbeke.

In his reaction to the development, Igbeke told journalists that  “I'm putting everything behind me. I'm not bothered about whatever money may have been collected, but I do know that the  Senate is a law making body that believes in law and I know that they will be honourable enough to give me my supposed entitlement when I ask for it.”

Igbeke, a businessman who is faced with the option of whether to get judicial interpretation on his tenure during a reception he organized for his followers  hinted that the Senate leadership erred by handing over the second quarterly allowance to Mrs Emordi, arguing the money would been kept in an escrow account until the matter was resolved.

Aides to the Senate President could not be reached for comments as at press time.