Despite lobby from the North for the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to step aside to allow for unbiased investigation into various allegations of high-handedness and favouritism in the discharge of his duties as Chairman of National Assembly, there are indications that President Bola Tinubu is not ready to leave the number three citizen to his fate.
This was as North Central women praised Sen Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) for her courage and resilience in the face of “coordinated acts of intimidation”, including her suspension from the Senate, an alleged assassination plot and a recent robbery attempt.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had alleged that Akpabio displaced her from the chairmanship of the Local Content Committee and her usual sitting position because she turned down his advances.
A senator from one of the northern states loyal to Tinubu confided in The Guardian that the President refused to consider valid points marshalled by some of his colleagues on why the Senate President should step aside to pave the way for a dispassionate investigation into various accusations against him.
He stated: “The President was reminded of the many baggage that trailed Akpabio’s nomination at the inception of the 10th Senate, including his insults on the National Assembly during an investigate hearing into the Niger Delta Ministry and the missing N1.4 billion from Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as well as the report of the audit panel he (Akpabio) instituted, which was sent to him as Niger Delta Minister.
“We saw the latest allegations as a confirmation of the growing discontent against the Senate President and felt that the image of the 10th National Assembly has been badly battered. But, to our dismay, the President did not want to entertain any suggestions for Akpabio to step aside, even for one day,” the APC senator stated.
A South East senator, who also pleaded anonymity, noted that though there had been, of late, small talks against Akpabio’s handling of Senate affairs, “how would our northern colleagues believe that Tinubu can sacrifice the Senate President at this time?”
But, when contacted, acolytes of the former Edo State governor said if Oshiomhole was eyeing the Senate Presidency, it must be for the next dispensation, stressing that some senators had been feeding the Senate President with the speculations to cause bad blood between the two South South senators.
The subtle moves for a shift in the Senate leadership come on the heels of the public assertion by the founder of the Citadel Global Community Church, Tunde Bakare, that the Akpoti-Uduaghan and Rivers emergency rule issues showed that the Tinubu administration was on a downward slide.
THE women’s commendation was contained in a statement issued in Makurdi, Benue state, yesterday, by the Chairperson of North Central Women Front (NCWF), Mrs Mary Adamu, who described Akpoti-Uduaghan as a beacon of bravery and a defender of truth.
According to the statement, the attacks targeted at Akpoti-Uduaghan were deliberate efforts to undermine progress in Kogi Central and to deter her from facilitating appointments and development projects to her constituency.
“Sen Akpoti-Uduaghan is a symbol of courage and determination. We are incredibly proud of her,” Adamu declared.
The NCWF did not hold back in its criticism of the leadership of the 10th Senate, accusing it of inciting public resentment and promoting hate through its handling of the senator’s suspension.
