The Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio is biased against him and remains suspicious of his actions within the National Assembly.
His remarks come amid growing tensions within the Senate following the controversy generated by his recent comments on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The former Edo State governor argued that Akpabio harbours an unfounded prejudice against him despite his longstanding contributions to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu’s electoral success.
“Don’t forget that I was a founding governor of the APC and Deputy Director-General of Bola Tinubu’s Campaign Council that delivered victory. I’m not saying I was solely responsible for the victory, but I worked for it, and I am happy we succeeded,” Oshiomhole said.
“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 convinced himself that I am probably the devil he knows. There are many angels he doesn’t know,” he added.
Oshiomhole also predicted that the leadership structure of the next Senate would be significantly different from the current arrangement, citing growing dissatisfaction among lawmakers.
“The 11th Senate will not be like the 10th. It cannot be. Senators are grumbling about his style of leadership. But we try to manage the situation, and I have assured him that I am a fulfilled person,” he said.
“Whatever responsibility I am given, I ask God for the courage and wisdom to discharge it to the satisfaction of my constituents. The Senate President’s bias against me is well known, but I will not speculate on the reasons behind it.”
The senator further claimed that Akpabio becomes uncomfortable whenever he engages with certain lawmakers, citing an encounter involving Senator Abdulaziz Yari as an example.
According to Oshiomhole, Yari once approached the Senate President seeking appointment as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, which Oshiomhole currently chairs.
“Senator Yari approached the Senate President and informed him that he wanted to be Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior. The Senate President reportedly asked him, ‘So you want to join Senator Oshiomhole to plan how to remove me as Senate President?’ I simply laughed it off,” he said.
Oshiomhole stressed that the Senate President occupies the position of “first among equals” and remains accountable to the collective will of senators.
“If you understand how the Senate works, the Senate President is first among equals. Only those favoured by senators are elected. If Senator Yari had secured the majority of votes, he could have become Senate President. It is not about what anyone wishes; it is about who senators choose,” he said.
His comments come days after the Senate distanced itself from his description of the NNPCL as “a bunch of criminals and thieves,” insisting that the remarks reflected his personal views and not the position of the upper legislative chamber.
Last week, during plenary, the Senate adopted a motion sponsored by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, clarifying that no Senate committee has the authority to issue, authorise, or execute a warrant of arrest without strict compliance with the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act and the express approval of the Senate President.
The resolution followed reports that the Senate Committee on Public Accounts had recommended the issuance of a warrant of arrest against former NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, over his alleged failure to honour invitations from the committee.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from Akpabio’s media aide, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, were unsuccessful.
As of the time of filing this report, he had neither answered calls nor responded to messages seeking clarification on the allegations.
