Akpabio wants me out Of Senate, says Oshiomhole

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio is suspicious of him and would remove him from the Senate if given the opportunity.

Speaking during an appearance on Mic On Podcast, the former Edo State governor claimed that Akpabio harbours a longstanding bias against him despite his role in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2023 election.

> “Don’t forget that I was a founding governor of the APC and Deputy DG of Bola Tinubu Campaign Council that gave us victory. I’m not saying I am responsible for the victory, but I worked for it,” Oshiomhole said.

The Edo North senator alleged that the Senate President is uncomfortable with his presence and interactions within the Red Chamber.

> “He is so paranoid about anything that has to do with me. Everybody in the Senate knows that if Senator Akpabio had his way, he would lock me out of the Senate because he has misled himself into thinking that I am probably the devil he knows. There are many angels he doesn’t know,” he stated.

Oshiomhole also predicted that the next Senate leadership would be different from the current arrangement, claiming that many lawmakers are dissatisfied with Akpabio’s leadership style.

> “The 11th Senate will not be like the 10th. Senators are grumbling about his style of leadership. But we try to manage,” he said.

The former labour leader maintained that he has no interest in the Senate presidency and remains focused on serving his constituents.

According to him, Akpabio often becomes uneasy whenever he engages with certain senators, citing an alleged conversation involving Senator Abdulaziz Yari as an example.

> “Senator Yari approached the Senate President and said he wanted to be Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior. I am the Chairman of that committee. The Senate President reportedly asked him, ‘So you want to join Senator Oshiomhole to plan how to remove me as Senate President?’” he claimed.

Oshiomhole stressed that the Senate President remains “first among equals” and that leadership positions are determined by the collective decision of senators.

The comments come amid recent controversy surrounding Oshiomhole’s remarks on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), where he described the company as “a bunch of criminals and thieves.”

Following the backlash, the Senate publicly distanced itself from the comments, insisting they represented Oshiomhole’s personal views and not the position of the National Assembly.

The Senate also recently clarified that no committee has the authority to issue or execute a warrant of arrest without complying with the provisions of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act and obtaining the approval of the Senate President.

As of the time of filing this report, no official response had been issued by Akpabio or his media team regarding Oshiomhole’s allegations.

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