Senator Ishaku Abbo, representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, has alleged that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and his associates were behind the dissemination of rumors about an impending impeachment against him. Abbo further claimed that Akpabio orchestrated this narrative to sow discord between President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and northern politicians.
Akpabio, in response, vehemently denied these allegations, dismissing them as malicious and false. Media reports had surfaced suggesting plans to unseat Akpabio as Senate President when the Senate reconvenes on September 26, 2023. These reports alleged that prominent senators from the North West and others across the national assembly were already strategizing this move.
Abbo stated that he woke up to multiple Nigerian newspapers carrying news of this alleged plan, with The Whistler Newspaper naming Senators Abdulaziz Yari, Aminu Tambuwal, and Ogoshi Onawo, among others, as the instigators. Abbo, an official of the Northern Senators Forum, asserted that these reports were intentionally propagated by Akpabio’s camp to create divisions and conflict.
He called on Akpabio to rein in his camp and warned against sowing seeds of discord and ethno-religious division, expressing frustration over the way the Senate has been managed. Abbo pointed out disparities in committee allocations and criticized the Senate leadership for not providing sufficient opportunities for senators perceived as rivals.
Abbo also criticized the Senate’s handling of ministerial nominee screenings, questioning the process when certain nominees were denied clearance by the Senate. He raised concerns about Senate President Akpabio’s absence during plenary sessions and his subsequent clearance of nominees without proper debate.
Abbo questioned whether the Senate was being used as a pawn in power plays between the presidency and security agencies, emphasizing the need for due diligence before sending ministerial lists to the Senate.
In conclusion, Abbo asserted that Akpabio should effectively manage his colleagues in the Senate and not resort to blackmail or manipulation through newspaper reports. He acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s role in Akpabio’s Senate Presidency but emphasized that it was Akpabio’s responsibility to maintain a peaceful Senate.