The Senate has expressed its unwavering support for Senate President Godswill Akpabio, passing a vote of confidence in his leadership and dismissing rumours circulating on social media regarding an alleged plan to impeach him.
The motion, by former Senate Leader Yahaya Abdullahi, highlighted that these impeachment rumours were propagated by paid agents seeking to incite confusion within the political landscape and insisted they would not impeach Akpabio.
In response to these claims, Akpabio condemned the misinformation, labelling it as a manipulation of social media by individuals with questionable motives and urging everyone to disregard such reports.
This vote of confidence followed a day, after media reports suggested that operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS) had secured the National Assembly to thwart any impeachment, attempts against Akpabio. He had previously dismissed such allegations as mere mischief.
Earlier that day, there were claims that DSS operatives had taken control of the National Assembly amidst fears of a potential impeachment. However, Senate spokesman Sen Yemi Adaramodu quickly refuted these assertions, branding them as “ill-will, untraceable, and from the gate of hell.”
Additionally, Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Sen. Basheer Lado, reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to fostering a collaborative relationship between the legislative and executive branches.
During the Thursday plenary session, Sen. Yahaya Abdullahi raised concerns over a publication alleging that northern senators were behind the supposed impeachment plot against Akpabio. He emphasised that such accusations infringed upon his rights as a lawmaker and tarnished the reputation of his colleagues.
Abdullahi stated, “This is about the fake news circulating yesterday regarding an alleged attempt by Northern Senators to challenge your leadership. This is a veiled attempt to sow division within this institution.” He reassured his colleagues that there was no known effort among northern senators to pursue Akpabio’s removal.
Senator Abdul Ningi also expressed confusion over the origins of these rumours, asserting that there was unity among senators. He noted that some individuals outside the Senate appeared intent on creating discord between Akpabio and northern senators.
Following this discussion, Ningi proposed a motion for the Senate to formally express confidence in Akpabio, which was unanimously supported by all present.
In his closing remarks, Akpabio thanked his colleagues for their backing and reaffirmed his commitment to providing effective leadership.
