Exclusive: Following sex scandal, Sen Bukar Ibrahim sneaks into N’Assembly, holds private meeting

More than two weeks after a scandalous video emerged, which showed Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim dressing up in the presence of two women, allegedly after sex, the embattled lawmaker on Tuesday, sneaked into the National Assembly.

Ripples Nigeria exclusively gathered that the lawmaker came into the premises at about 2:30pm on Tuesday and held a private meeting in his office with some global experts on environment.

He did not attend plenary with his colleagues and has not been seen in any committee meetings since the scandalous video emerged and went viral on social media.

Senator Ibrahim’s reappearance in the Senate, is coming, despite an informal arrangement it was gathered he had with the leadership of the upper legislative chamber not to be seen within and around the premises.

The leadership of the Senate has kept mum on the issue and has not taken any position.

The three-time governor of Boko Haram-ravaged Yobe State, who also introduced Sharia law in 2000, had told an online newspaper that he had not committed any official offence and that the video was only released after attempts to blackmail him failed.

Read also: Saraki swears in Adeleke, regrets he’s not APC member

The Senate leadership, unlike in the case of Senator Ali Ndume, whose suspension was given an accelerated hearing, has not uttered a word since this incident broke out.

Even when a closed door session was held last week, our correspondent gathered that the issue was not discussed. No lawmaker raised the issue, although it was learnt that Saraki was not willing to entertain it.

In the interview which was published by Premium Times Newspaper, Senator Ibrahim was quoted to have said: “This is a personal, private matter. What does my having been with a girl have to do with the public? You know the normal thing: people ask for unreasonable things, and if you deny them, they try to blackmail you if they have a way.”

“If they say I raped, that’s a different matter altogether,” Senator Ibrahim added. He continued, “Is it because I am a public official then I am not supposed to be entitled to private life?”

The senator said he knew when one of the women was filming him, but was told it was only for fun and they also wanted to illuminate the room with a camera.

“They just mentioned it to me as a joke and I took it as nothing really serious,” he said. “This is something that happened between two adults.”

“I have commenced investigations to find out why it is circulating,” the senator said. “But from all indications, it is a blackmail.”

.. Ehisuan Odia

 

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