Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed rumours of a plot to remove him from office, asserting that the Senate under his leadership remains stable, harmonious, and focused on advancing Nigeria.
The Senate also labelled the reports of such a plot as baseless and unfounded.
However, Senator Elisha Abbo, representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, accused senators loyal to Akpabio of being responsible for the rumours of a potential removal. Abbo alleged that Akpabio had been running the Senate leadership as a one-man show and criticized the distribution of standing committees as biased.
In response to these claims, the President of the Senate, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon Eseme Eyiboh, dismissed the rumours as baseless and driven by malicious intent. The statement highlighted that the Senate had moved past the contentious leadership election and that any suggestion of a conspiracy was unfounded. It noted that senators were currently on recess, and the insinuation of subversive activities was unwarranted.
The statement also called on the media to refrain from propagating unfounded conspiracies and to uphold their reputation for responsible reporting.
The Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, chaired by Yemi Adaramodu, echoed similar sentiments, stating that the Senate is united and focused on its legislative duties. It described the rumours as fictitious and urged those attempting to sow discord through media reports to exercise caution.
In his response, Senator Abbo accused Akpabio’s camp of planting and syndicating these rumours in an attempt to create division and conflict between President Bola Tinubu and the North. He urged Akpabio to rein in his camp and avoid sowing discord, emphasizing that such actions would not benefit the country.
Additionally, a Niger Delta group expressed support for Akpabio and vowed to resist any attempt to remove him from office. The group defended Akpabio’s leadership and committee assignments, stating that he had distributed chairmanships fairly among opposition and ruling party senators. They believed that the rumours were part of a larger plan to destabilize President Tinubu’s administration.
In summary, these developments revolve around allegations of a plot to remove Senate President Akpabio, with various parties offering their perspectives on the situation. The Senate leadership and the Niger Delta group reject the allegations, while Senator Abbo and others raise concerns about the Senate’s internal workings and the broader political implications.