By tf-lawyer.com Last Thursday, the Red Chamber addressed the rising tensions surrounding the rumored plot to remove Senator Godswill Akpabio from his position as Senate President by passing a unanimous vote of confidence in him. However, keen observers of the upper chamber believe that not everything is as it seems, as reported by Sunday Aborisade.
It was routine for Deputy Senate President Senator Jibrin Barau to preside over the plenary while Akpabio attended an International Parliamentary event in Geneva, Switzerland. What caught the attention of journalists was the unexpected late start to plenary on Wednesday.
As speculation grew that Akpabio had returned early from Switzerland to preside over the session, reporters noticed groups of senators congregating and engaging in conversation. This led to confusion and heightened tension when an online platform, Order Paper, published a story claiming that operatives from the Department of State Service had invaded the National Assembly premises, ostensibly to maintain security amidst rumored impeachment plots against Akpabio.
When reporters rushed outside the gallery to verify the claim, they found no unusual increase in security, just the regular presence of DSS operatives alongside police and other security personnel.
Eventually, Akpabio took the helm of the plenary session. Midway through, he addressed his colleagues regarding the online story, labeling it as false and calling for an investigation. He directed the Committee on Special Duties, led by Senator Shehu Kaka, to look into the alleged attempts by some disgruntled senators to push for his impeachment.
He dismissed the rumors as unfounded, asserting, “We are here sitting down doing your work very peacefully, oblivious of the report that is going on behind us.” After a brief consultation, Akpabio reiterated the need to investigate the false report, stating, “The fake news is hereby referred to the Committee on Special Duties to report back in 24 hours. This is part of what we deal with daily. I hope the public realizes that this is fake.”
Following the plenary session, Abdulaziz Yar’adua, chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, and Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu reiterated to journalists that the impeachment news was indeed false. A principal officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that Akpabio’s return from the international forum had nothing to do with any potential impeachment.
Another senior senator emphasized, “The Senate President indicated that he would only attend the opening session of the IPU event. It’s untrue that he hurried back from Geneva.”
However, the issue resurfaced the next day when senators voted to express confidence in Akpabio’s leadership. This resolution came after former Senate Leader Senator Yahaya Abdullahi raised a point of order, dispelling claims that northern senators were plotting an impeachment.
Abdullahi stated, “As a senior member of the Northern Senators’ Forum, I assure you that there’s no attempt by any group to disrupt our unity.” He called for solidarity, highlighting the importance of keeping the Senate focused on delivering democratic progress.
Senator Abdul Ningi added that accusations against certain senators were baseless, urging colleagues to formally support the Senate President and leadership.
As discussions unfolded, the leader of the minority caucus sought to amend the vote to include all senators. Ultimately, Akpabio put the motion to a voice vote, which overwhelmingly passed, cementing the Senate’s confidence in his leadership.
Following the vote, Akpabio expressed gratitude for the support, stating, “On behalf of my brother, the Deputy Senate President, and the entire leadership, I assure you that our cooperation will continue. No amount of social media or external pressure will break our bond. We are committed to justifying your confidence in us.”
Since the 10th National Assembly amended its rules to restrict non-ranking members from contesting for presiding officer roles, there has been little indication of a serious impeachment effort. A former governor who contested against Akpabio for the Senate presidency is not a ranking senator, which complicates any attempts to challenge his position.
Now, all eyes are on Senator Kaka’s committee as they prepare to investigate the situation and present their findings to the Senate.
