- Urge him to avoid banana peels
- No cause for alarm, says Akpabio’s aide
BY NICK NWAFOR AND BRIGHT JACOB
The Senate President Godswill Akpabio, is facing a tough battle in the red chamber amid renewed opposition from within and outside the ruling All Progressives congress.
The simmering plot to impeach Akpabio is already boiling over with the determination of northern senators across party divides to make sure that the incumbent Senate President is cut to size.
Investigation by The Point revealed that Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa-Ibom State, is witnessing opposition to his style of leadership in the upper chamber.
Unfortunately, many of the lawmakers that have openly opposed him are members of the ruling APC.
The Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, who served as the coordinator of Akpabio’s campaign, is having what could be called a running battle with him.
No sooner had Akpabio emerged as Senate President than tension started brewing at the upper chamber as many lawmakers were said to be displeased with the appointment of principal officers.
Ndume, it was learnt, was said to be interested in the position of Senate Leader but was given Chief Whip.
Ndume was to publicly disagree with Akpabio on the alleged huge disparity in the disbursement of a loan to the six geo-political regions in 2021 by the Development Bank of Nigeria, in what turned out to be the first rowdy session in the red chamber.
The Borno senator had insisted that it was unfair and morally wrong that the entire Northern region was given only 11 per cent, while only Lagos State got 47 per cent of the loan, adding that his home state of Borno, got just one per cent.
Trouble started after Akpabio rejected Ndume’s motion to debate the alleged uneven distribution of the loan by the DBN.
Ndume already challenged Akpabio openly twice. Last week, he was ruled out of order by Akpabio and he walked out of the Chamber, although he later claimed that he did not storm out of the Chamber but to pray at the Mosque.
However, many claimed Ndume is not seen as a formidable foe because of his history of fighting almost all Senate Presidents without any record of winning.
“A formidable Senator from the South who does not want his name in print told The Point that a lot of “banana peels are on the path of the Senate President and there is every likelihood that he is going to slip and fall if he ignores the advice that he should retrace his steps”
In 2015, he supported Bukola Saraki, however, he was later removed unceremoniously as the Leader of the Senate after he challenged the former Kwara State Governor.
Our investigation showed that danger is not completely averted for Akpabio.
It could be recalled that Akpabio did not emerge with an overwhelming margin like Abbas Tajudeen in the House of Representatives.
Despite the endorsement from the president and the party, Akpabio polled 63 votes, while Abdulaziz Yari scored 46 votes.
It was gathered that there are senators who see Yari as a viable alternative in the face of opposition against Akpabio, who is now facing the hurdles that Southern senate presidents faced.
Consequently, the Senate, on October 3, amended its rule to bar first-time senators from contesting for the positions of the Senate President and deputy Senate President.
The amendment of Senate Standing Order 3 followed a motion sponsored by the Senate Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele to effect and adopted by voice vote.
Prior to the amendment, all the 109 senators, irrespective of ranking, were free to contest the Senate presiding officers’ positions.
The Rule 3 of the Senate Standing Order had stated that nomination for presiding officers shall be in accordance with the ranking of senators.
It said, “In determining the ranking, the following Order shall apply: (i) senators returning based on the number of times re-elected; (ii) senators who had been members of the House of Representatives and (iii) Senators elected as senators for the first time.”
But following the new amendment, any senator vying for the positions of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President must have served at least one-term in the Senate.
However, Akapbio’s opponents insist he is sitting on the keg of gunpowder, politically.
According to a formidable National Assembly’s source, “it would take the intervention of God to save him because senators led by Senator Ali Ndume are ferocious in making sure that the Senate President is relieved of his position because he has sidelined those who made him in the first place.”
Akpabio’s current political stress is not unconnected with the previous studied efforts by the Senators from the Northern axis and even his colleagues from the South to impugn on his ambition of becoming the President of the Senate in the 10th National Assembly.
It took the intervention of President Bola Tinubu and the ruling APC to rein all the combative senators from its divide especially from the north to shelve the stoppage of his becoming the Senate President.
The reason for his opposition to occupying the exalted position even when he had been sworn-in as the President of the Senate is located in the fact that Akpabio started building clique even when he is yet to find his footing.
The growing friction in the Senate is said to be rooted in the style of leadership of Akpabio, which most of his colleagues are not comfortable with and had in various fora voiced against but were ignored.
A formidable National Assembly source told The Point that Akpabio is not carrying his colleagues along in some of the decisions he had taken so far, and the way he subserviently adhere to the instructions coming from the executive arms of the government is shocking to them because they do not want to be remembered like the 9th Senate as the rubber stamp of the executive.
According to the source, most of the Senators in the red chamber are miffed with the nickname of rubber stamp National Assembly which the public has tagged them with no thanks to the handling of the affairs of the Senate.
They averred that some of the gaffes recorded in the Assembly in the course of steering the proceedings of the Senate are uncalled for, and could have been averted if there was a proper consultation by the Senate President.
The fact that Akpabio made public their own palliatives when he echoed on the floor of the Assembly that money would be transferred to various accounts of members did not go down well with most of the Senators.
According to the Senators, that singular announcement on the floor by the Senate President has pitted them against their various constituencies which accused them of being selfish.
Investigation conducted by The Point revealed that Senators from the northern axis are not happy that the Senate is not intervening on the lopsidedness of the appointments of the administration of President Tinubu which is tilted towards one ethnic group.
The Senators, according to the investigation, are miffed that some of the ministers are not supposed to be cleared during the screening but were taken aback when Akpabio allegedly vetoed that they should be cleared just “to be in the good books of President Tinubu who ignored all the complaints against the Senate President to allow him emerge the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly.”
A formidable Senator from the South who does not want his name in print told The Point that a lot of “banana peels are on the path of the Senate President and there is every likelihood that he is going to slip and fall if he ignores the advice that he should retrace his steps.”
He said that some of the people the Senate had cleared for one position or the other never met the standard of the security operatives “and that never went well with most of the Senators especially new members who were shocked that the Senate should allow such an error to pass without making concerted efforts to stop.”
According to the Senator, “Plan has reached an advanced stage to start collecting signatures of members towards Akpabio’s impeachment because he appears not to be listening to advice offered to him on the best way to rein majority of members in the Senate.”
However, one of the aides of the Senate President, Jackson Udom, in a telephone conversation told The Point that as far as he was concerned there is no friction in the Assembly as speculated in some quarters.
He added that the Senate President was relating very well with all the members of the Senate and that there was no cause for alarm as insinuated in some quarters.
Udom said that the walking out of Senator Ali Ndume does not in any way suggest that there is friction in the Senate.
He however said that Senator Ndume is in the best position to tell Nigerians why he walked out of the Senate during sitting.
Udom’s take on the friction that is said to be brewing in the Senate is at variance with the camp of Senator Ndume who is said to be leading some northern Senators on the onslaught against Akpabio.
A reliable source told The Point that the behaviour of Senator Ndume on the floor of the Chamber when he walked out may have found expression on the displeasure of most Senators who are not comfortable with the way and manner the 10th Senate is being run.
When a call was pulled to Ndume by The Point to get his reaction or what led to his walking out of the floor of the Upper chamber of the National Assembly, he did not pick or respond to the text message sent to him.
But a close source to Ndume told The Point that Ndume may not talk because that is revealing the strategy of the aggrieved Senators who are bent on removing Akpabio as the Senate President.
According to the source, some northern senators who had spat with Akpabio on his bid to climb the exalted seat are said to be reaching out to other senators for them to see why the Senate President should be shown the exit door because he is not carrying everybody along in his style of governance.
But in an interview with BBC Hausa, in Abuja, Ndume provided insight into his decision to leave the Senate chamber during a plenary session on Tuesday.
He noted that the situation arose when Senator Kawu Sumaila introduced a motion regarding the closure of the Nigeria-Niger border, which he claimed was urgent.
“At first, it was argued that the motion was not urgent, but the president of the Senate let him finish what he wanted to say.
After hearing the motion, it was agreed that, since it related to security, it should be suspended,” Ndume explained.
He added that he wanted to explain the importance of the motion but was not granted the opportunity to speak.
He clarified that the closure of the border was not initiated by the President of Nigeria but rather during his tenure as President of ECOWAS.
He stated, “In order to address this matter, it is imperative to involve the President of our nation, but I was not afforded the opportunity to convey this message.”
Senator Ndume clarified that he left the session to pray, a fact that was misinterpreted by his colleagues and the media.
“While this was happening, it coincided with the time of prayer, prompting my departure.
Consequently, my colleagues misconstrued my exit, and the journalists changed the meaning of my exit,” Ndume said.
Two weeks ago, Ndume slammed the Senate President for approving the passage of some executive bills without formal reading and seeking the input of other members, while expressing his displeasure over what he called a practice of rushing to pass bills on the floor of the Senate without following proper procedures.
He was talking about the need to always have two-third of Senators to support any bill seeking amendments to the Constitution before passing such bills.
He said, “Very sensitive bills are brought and are expected to be passed with the speed of light, which is not good for the country. Every senator here is supposed to be adequately informed; he does his research and makes a positive contribution, but in a situation where even money bills are brought and expected to be passed within two hours, it wouldn’t be better for the country. Sir, you are on the seat today; history will judge you that things like this are not good for this country.”
Responding to Ndume’s comment, Akpabio stated, “If the bills we pass are good for the country, history will judge me right. I don’t think we would come here to pass a bill that’s not good for the interest of Nigerians. So, your point of order is noted.”
On Wednesday, Akpabio emphasized the unity and maturity of the Nigerian Senate, even amidst disagreements.
“In the parliament, sometimes you disagree to agree. But we will never get to the point of throwing chairs. The Senate is too mature, full of matured people,” Akpabio told State House Correspondents after closed-door talks with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Speaking with State House Correspondents after meeting on Wednesday, the Senate President, however, dismissed any crisis in the legislature.
“We are all working in one accord. There is no problem at all. Even if some people disagree with some of the happenings in the Senate, it is only the majority decision that is going to prevail,” he noted.
Akpabio further explained that any arising disagreements are swiftly handled in closed sessions, ensuring unity and solidarity are maintained.
Highlighting the Senate’s commitment to the nation’s interests, Akpabio remarked, “We are politicians, no permanent hatred but permanent interest. That interest is the interest of the nation.”
He emphasized the Senate’s role in supporting the President and his administration through legislation and oversight functions, all aimed at moving the country forward.
It was gathered that despite the promises he made to those who stood behind him in making him to become the Senate President, Akpabio allegedly never kept one.
Some of the Senators he promised juicy chairmanship of the Senate Committees never got them and they are never happy that they were used and dumped.
Some of the Senators, according to an impeccable source, summoned courage to confront him on why he reneged on his promise but left with bruised ego.
Some of them vowed to get their own pound of flesh at the appointed time.
Some of the Senators from the South who hitherto had been his sidekicks are said to be retracing their steps on the ground that they are not being treated well in the scheme of things in the affairs of the 10th Senate.
A number of the Senators who spoke to The Point on the condition of anonymity said that Senator Akpabio should eschew pride and negotiate with some of the aggrieved members who are disenchanted with his style of governance.
According to the Senators, Akpabio is acting as if he is untouchable because of his affinity with the executive arm of President Tinubu’s administration.
They reasoned that the executive arm of the government would not come to his rescue by the time the Senators have resolved to throw him out in no distant time “because he has refused to listen to the voice of reason as offered by them who still want him to continue as the Senate President.”
Information has it that some of the Senators who contested against him are said to be mobilizing against his impeachment listing some of his offences to convince their adherents in the plot to remove Akpabio as the Senate President. Ndume, according to an informed source, appeared to be enjoying the support of the majority of the Senators who are angling for a change in the Senate.
The camp of Ndume and some Senators from the South South are said to be teaming up to oust Akpabio in no distant time.
“A close source to Ndume told The Point that Ndume may not talk because that is revealing the strategy of the aggrieved Senators who are bent on removing Akpabio as the Senate President”
As at the time of filing this report, there were nocturnal meetings going on among senators who are vehemently opposed to Akpabio continuing as the Senate President.
The forces that are working assiduously to oust Akpabio as the Senate President are said not to be relenting in making sure that the plot is carried to the letter at the appointed time except there is retrace of steps on the part of the Senate President on the way and manner he has been governing Senate for months now.
A reputable source volunteered that there is concerted effort on the part of the National Chairman of the ruling APC, former governor of Kano State, Abudullahi Ganduje who is said to be working round the clock to making sure that all the members of his party in the Senate are not part of the plot to remove the incumbent Senate President.
According to the source, a circular has been sent to all members of APC in the Senate to shun meetings aimed at the removal of Akpabio as the Senate President.
The circular further advised members of the party in the Senate to make sure that the tenure of Akpabio is a success, and should not allow fifth columnists in the Senate to have their way in the plot to remove the Senate President.
It is apparent that the centre between Akpabio and Ndume can no longer hold just four months after the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, during which Ndume played a leading role in the emergence of Akpabio as the Senate President.
From 1999 to 2007, five southerners occupied the seat- Evans Enwerem, Chuba Okadigbo, Anyim Pius Anyim, Adolphus Wabara and Ken Nnamani. Three of the occupiers of the seat were forced out for different reasons. However, the Northerners that occupied the seat have had a relatively stable stay in the office.
Senator David Mark served as Senate President for eight uninterrupted years. Bukola Saraki served for four years despite the opposition from the executive. He completed the tenure and Ahmad Lawan also had a hitch-free tenure.
Many believe that the difficulty for southerners has to do with the distribution of the Senate. The South has 51 Senators, while the North has 58 Senators. In addition, the majority of the Senators from the South are in opposition parties.
“Akpabio just needs to be circumspect in managing the Senators, many of whom are also former Governors themselves,” a senior legislative aide said.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that many of the Senators do not want to offend President Tinubu by moving against the Senate President because they want better funding of the National Assembly, particularly with the 2024 budget expected to be presented anytime soon.
