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Tag: Akpabio

  • Akpabio, Umana unite for Ekere

    Senator Godswill Akpabio, and Mr Umana Umana, his former Secretary to the State Government and 2015 gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have settled their political rift.

    The two politicians, widely perceived to command the largest followership of politicians in Ikot Ekpene and Uyo senatorial districts, respectively, fell out towards the 2015 governorship election.

    To pave way for the emergence of Mr Udom Emmanuel as governor in 2015, Chief Akpabio appointed Mr Emmanuel to replace Mr Umana as Secretary to State Government in 2013 and subsequently zoned out Mr Umana from the governorship race in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), leading to Mr Umana’s defection to the APC in 2014.

    But at the weekend at a special solidarity rally for President Muhammadu Buhari and Obong Nsima Ekere, the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Akpabio drew Mr Umana to his side and declared that the rift was over with their common interest in the re-election of President Buhari and election of Obong Ekere as Governor.

    “In politics, you can never have permanent enemies. You have permanent interests. Umana wants President Buhari. Umana wants Nsima Ekere. I want President Buhari. I want Nsima Ekere,” he said.

    Enumerating many of his landmark projects in Uyo Senatorial District as Governor, Akpabio, who electrified the huge crowd with solidarity songs in support of Obong Ekere, expressed belief that Obong Ekere will , on assumption of office as Governor, complete some of those projects abandoned by his successor, Governor Emmanuel, particularly in Uyo, the state capital.

    “It is possible for government to work. Uyo people were connected in my government. Nsima Ekere has told me that he is going to connect Uyo again. Uyo is going to shine again,” he said.

    On his part, Mr Umana, who chaired the occasion, reiterated his support for Mr Ekere.

    “We are equally pleased with Dr Nsima Ekere, Managing Director of the NDDC, who has delighted the state and the APC family with his impressive performance at the Commission. We join all his well-wishers to celebrate him and wish him success in the governorship race so that he can put his demonstrable leadership skills at the service of his people,” he said.

    Mr Umana, who is the Managing Director of Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, declared that “Uyo Senatorial District stands with President Buhari and wants Dr Nsima Ekere because their track records have earned our trust.”

  • Saraki, Akpabio congratulate Pinnick on landslide victory

    Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has hailed newly re-elected NFF President, Amaju Melvin Pinnick on his landslide victory in Katsina on Thursday, urging him to continue the improvement and development of the country’s football.

    Saraki further urged Pinnick to ensure the country continues to win laurels at all levels as he takes another mantle of leadership for the next four years.

    “Congratulations @PinnickAmaju on your re-election as President of @thenff. I wish you the very best as you continue to work towards improving the administration of the football federation and ensuring that Nigeria’s teams thrive at every level,” Saraki twitted.

    Similarly, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio also landed the re-election of Pinnick, pledging his continuous support for the football federation.

    “Congratulations @PinnickAmaju for your re-election as @thenff President. My commitment to the growth of Nigerian football is total. We started with building a good home for the @NGSuperEagles in Akwa Ibom and we will continue to support your administration to keep making us proud,” Akpabio posted.

    Pinnick won 34 votes in the Katsina polls, Maigari 8 votes and Ogunjobi came behind with 2 votes.

  • Oshiomhole, Lawan, Akpabio, others storm Lagos for Senator Tinubu

    It was commendation galore for the senator representing the Lagos Central District, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts gathered in Lagos yesterday to pour encomium on her for quality representation.

    It was at the 27th town hall meeting of the Lagos Central District organised by her.

    The high-powered delegation was led by the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. Others were the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, former Senate Minority Leader , Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Kashim Imam, Senator John Enoh and  Senator Fatai Buhari, among others.

    Oshiomhole praised the senator for organising the town hall meeting on quarterly basis to brief her constituents on her activities in the National Assembly since she was elected into office in 2011.

    The APC national chairman said what Senator Tinubu is doing is a challenge to other senators in the country.

    The APC Leader recalled that his relationship with the Tinubu family started when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was Lagos State Governor and he as a labour union leader had to visit him on several occasions to discuss labour issues in the state.

    “It was then I knew that Asiwaju was blessed with a woman that was very humble. Any time we visited them, she, as First Lady then, would serve us food and drinks despite the fact there were cooks in the house. Up till now, if I go to Asiwaju’s house, I feel at home”, he said.

    Oshiomhole further said: “Women have a lot to learn from her. Asiwaju is a national leader; he spends most of his time outside the family home. The wife too has to sacrifice the time she is supposed to spend with her husband and the family. A leader needs an extremely patient mother and wife to accommodate all manner of visitors. I want to appreciate Senator Tinubu for what she did for people like us.”

    Senator Lawan described Senator Tinubu as a very hardworking legislator.  According to him, she always does her homework properly before making her presentations.

    “There is no time you will engage her in a discussion that you will not gain something from her. She is a fantastic senator that makes her presentations in robust language. Most of us have to emulate her, particularly on this quarterly meeting with our constituents,” Senator Lawan said.

    On the request by the former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Chief Femi Pedro, that Senator Tinubu should be considered for the position of Senate President in the ninth Senate, Senator Lawan said she would get there and promised her his support.

    But it was moderated later by Oshiomhole who said  Senator Tinubu would go for the office of Senate Leader because of her loyalty to the party.

    Senator John Enoh from Cross River was stunned to hear that Senator Tinubu was holding the 27th town hall meeting in her senatorial district. He said it was marvellous because many senators were not holding such meetings with their constituents on a quarterly basis.

    Enoh said: “I spent three terms in the House of Representatives before being elected into the Senate. The first town hall meeting in Cross River was done by me. It takes a lot of personal commitment to public service to do what Mrs Tinubu is doing in the Lagos Central District. At the Senate, she pursued the same passion to public service. Being the wife of a national leader did not affect her activities in the Senate.  I congratulate the Lagos Central District for having her as their representative in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly”.

    Senator Akpabio, who arrived after the end of the programme, insisted to make a speech. He  commended Mrs Tinubu for showing direction for women in the country. He said: “You have laid a good foundation for women by showing them direction.”

    Other speakers included  the Lagos Central Senatorial Leader, Prince Tajudeen Olusi; Lagos APC Chairman, Alhaji Babatunde Balogun; Senator Muniru Muse; Oba of Igbobi -Sabe, Oba Owolabi Adeniyi; and the representative of Oba of Lagos, the Opeoluwa Onido of Lagos, Chief Lateef Aderibigbe. All of them praised the senator for her empowerment programmes that have lifted many people in her constituency.

    The high point of the event was the launching of a book “Compendium of Service,” a collection of town hall speeches of Senator Tinubu. It was launched by Senator Imam. Senator Akpabio and the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Nsima Ekere, also launched the book.

    Present on the occasion were former Minister of Defence, Chief Ademola Seriki; Hon. Oyinlomo Danmole;  one-time Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, Hon. Wale Edun; Hon. Wasiu Esinlokun; Hon. Hakeem Bamgbala; Lagos  APC  Woman Leader, Mrs Jumoke Okoya-Thomas; Chief Babajide  Damazio;  Hon. Wale Oshun and  Lagos APC Publicity Secretary, Mr Joe Igbokwe.

  • Akpabio I’ll assist Buhari fight poverty

    Senator Godswill Akpabio has said that he will support President Muhammadu Buharin to generate jobs and eradicate poverty.

    Acknowleging the anti-corruption drive of the President, Akpabio said he would join in fighting its “twin-brother which is poverty.”

    “I am joining the APC to stabilize the government and to assist the government to create employment opportunities for Nigerians so that we can fight the twin brother to corruption, which is poverty.

    “Poverty creates corruption and corruption deepens poverty, so we need to fight the two together. And that is one of the things I find attractive with the APC and believe me, with my people in Akwa Ibom State, with my presence in the APC, my people in South South have now seen the light and they say APC is the party to vote for come 2019.” he added.

    He told reporters after the National Caucus meeting at the Villa that

    “The meeting went very well and a lot of topical issues were discussed bothering on the interest of the nation. The resolutions are fantastic and I believe that the resolutions will not only move the party forward but will help to alleviate the situation in the country today and Nigerians will be happy for it.”

    Akpabio praised President Buhari’s leadership, saying “the President has kept his integrity intact.”

    He added: “He has been able to improve the image of Nigeria and restored a lot of respect for Nigeria before the international community.

    “I can assure you that he alone can attract millions of people, he is that infectious.”

  • Akpabio can’t win Akwa Ibom for APC, says Attah

    At 80, elder statesman Obong Victor Attah is in a sober reflection. Eleven years ago, he vacated office as governor of oil-rich Akwa Ibom State. Since then, he has observed that the country has degenerated. His worries: gladiators are defecting in their gross immorality and the National Assembly appears to be holding the country hostage.

    “Nigeria is in a serious distress. We need divine intervention. The distress is caused by politicians who have lost morality, integrity and honour,” he lamented.

    Attah’s grouse is that political parties lack ideology and philosophy. He attributed the gale of defections to these gaps, stressing that a country without a sense of direction may not make progress.

    Chiding the defectors for jumping ship for selfish interests, he said: “Defection is not in defense of democracy. The Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, said he defected because out of over 200 juicy appointments, none was given to his camp. Some of the defectors will face a black cold winter.”

    The former governor faulted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for making his successor, Senator Godswill Akpabio, its Senate Leader. He also said the reactions of the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to his defection were not impressive.

    Attah said: “They took a first term senator, a non-ranking senator, and made him the PDP Senate Leader. Today, he leaves your party and you call him a criminal. Why were you celebrating him before? If Akpabio has been charged to court and he was in the PDP, PDP would have shouted. Why accusing Buhari of selective prosecution? It is not right. But, the APC is also celebrating him.”

    To the elder statesman, Akpabio’s defection may reduce the chance of the APC in next year’s polls in Akwa Ibom. He noted that the state was the stronghold of the PDP before. But, when Akpabio became governor, all the leading lights moved to the APC. APC had 80 per cent chance of winning the governorship election before. But, today, people are going to the PDP because Akpabio has defected to the APC.

    The elder statesman said his predecessor brought uncommon poverty and destruction to the state.

    He added: “If APC manages to win Akwa Ibom, it will be in spite of, and not because of Akpabio”

    The Ibibio leader said the National Assembly is not insulated from the loss of a sense of morality and integrity. He warned that the Eighth National Assembly may be the worst in the history of Nigeria.

    He beamed the searchlight on the parliamentary/executive imbroglio, saying that both organs have been working at cross purpose. He attributed the rift to the outcome of the National Assembly leadership election. Attah recalled that while the APC leaders later embraced House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Saraki’s emergence as Senate President generated controversy.

    He said many crises have engulfed the Senate, including the seizure of the mace, the rejection of Ibrahim Magu’s nomination as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the rejection of the Bill on Special Courts to try corrupt cases, controversy over the order of elections, and budget delays. “Magu was rejected, not because he is not suitable. They want an EFCC that will not go after some cases,” he lamented.

    However, Attah noted that the Chief Justice of the Federation has now used his administrative discretion by setting up the special courts.

    Chiding legislators for budget delays, the former governor said budget padding was also wrong. “If the Federal Government had listened to us on restructuring, the Federal Government will not need to be digging boreholes in the villages.”

    On the controversy over the order of elections, Attah said: “In a true federal arrangement, the Federal Government has no business in conducting state elections. Now, they want to cripple INEC so that it will not conduct election. There is a more disruptive cabal in the National Assembly than in the presidency.”

    To the Ibibio leader, the mushrooming of political parties is counter-productive. He advised the parties to come together, saying that the country does not need more than two or three parties.

    Attah, who renewed his agitation for restructuring, complained that the National Assembly has been aloof. “It is the fault of the National Assembly. We suggested state police and resource control. They dismissed it,” he fumed.

    In his view, piecemeal constitutional amendment is not the answer to the resolution of the national question.

    He added: “The National Assembly should call on the president to call an assembly to write a new constitution. If we don’t restructure, this country will die. If we don’t restructure, this country will be doomed.”

  • Akpabio versus Udom… the coming roforofo

    About three years ago, yours truly wrote a piece titled ‘Emmanuel’s Will’. The kernel of it was the refusal of the Akwa Ibom State government to make public details of the state’s debt under Godswill Akpabio. It also pointed out that Akpabio and Udom Emmanuel, the man he went all out to install as his successor, were not in good terms. It was also pointed out that it was a matter of time before Emmanuel and Akpabio would go for each other’s jugular.

    The piece earned me names from the spokesperson of the government at the time. I was accused of making a lame attempt to portray Emmanuel as a weakling. Also thrown my way was the accusation of being an Akpabio hater. There was also the bit about me condescending to “mislead the public with personal bias and prejudices, dressed as public affairs analysis”.

    The government at the time said the strong camaraderie existing between Emmanuel and Akpabio was unbreakable. “They are not going to fight anytime soon or later as you wish. Indeed, for those who are waiting to be entertained with a fight by both leaders, they should prepare for a long wait,” said the government.

    Three years after, and another general election around, the fight is out for all to see. They are not only fighting, they are also entertaining us daily and more will still come. Akpabio some weeks back  dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under whose umbrella he foisted Emmanuel on the people. He has vowed to ensure Emmanuel’s dream of a second term is not realised. Before parting ways with the governor, he accused him of abandoning his projects, which the people stand to benefit from. On Monday, he described the governor as the biggest political mistake of his life.

    “Udom is a mistake that must be corrected in 2019. All hands must be on the deck to ensure the mistake is corrected for a people-oriented leadership is enthroned under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), at the centre,” he said.

    The same day the governor threatened to release facts about his predecessor. He spoke at a rally at the Onna Township Stadium.

    “I have heard things, and I want to challenge any who thinks he has the truth to come out, I will use my personal money to hire CNN and other international media, AIT, Channels, NTA and  AKBC, let’s present facts to Nigerians, let’s see who would tell the truth and who will also tell a lie,” said the governor.

    Interestingly, one of those supporting the governor against Akpabio is Senator Bassey Albert, the only PDP senator who has refused to defect. Albert was Akpabio’s commissioner for Finance and wanted to be governor, but Akpabio shut him out because of Emmanuel. He was later compensated with the senatorial seat.

    Albert and Akpabio fought dirty. Akpabio sacked Albert as commissioner alongside others against the Emmanuel-must-succeed-me project.

    Albert and others vowed to frustrate the Emmanuel-must-be-governor project. Albert based his actions and insistence on being governor on a divine vision, which must not be truncated by man— Akpabio. Their actions angered Akpabio and he declared at the sod turning ceremony for the PDP secretariat in Akwa Ibom in July 2014: “Christ did not say that there will be no Judas. Even our God Almighty recognised that even the people he worked with, and called them angels, that one of them was going to betray him. And that was Lucifer, what did God do? He threw him out of heaven. Has he entered heaven till today? Those who have betrayed the governor will not enter Government House.

    “You empower your children so that they will be a pride to you. You don’t empower them so that they come and betray you. That is the lot of the world.

    “I go back into the Bible, the Game Changer (Adamu Mua’zu, who was PDP National Chairman at the time). I saw the story of Absalom. And I said may God take away the spirit of Absalom from our midst. Who was Absalom? The son of David, the father trained him and empowered him as the would-be King of Israel. Because of impatience, Absalom wanted to take over before the age of 30. He wanted to kill King David. And the King said, leave him to his fate.”

    He then asked the crowd at the ceremony: “Did it end well with Absalom?”

    The crowd responded: “Nooooo!”

    He went on to explain what happened to Absalom: “As a young man, he died, while his father continued. I am assuring the Game Changer (Muazu) and the President (Dr. Goodluck Jonathan) that those who want to take power through the backdoor will die. They will die! And the PDP will continue. In Akwa Ibom State, those who want to betray, who were supposed to be our political children, of course they will end like Absalom. But if they change their minds, then they will obtain favour in the sight of God.”

    Albert did not take kindly to Akpabio’s statement.  In an interview published then by this newspaper, he diplomatically ‘finished’ his political father. He said the story of Absalom was quoted out of context. His reason:  “If you read your Bible very well, then you know that despite Absalom’s behavioural deficiency, King David was still in love with him. I want to say that if the governor was referring to me as Absalom, then he should love me to the end.”

    It seemed the governor listened to Albert’s advice. He sought him out and fences were mended. The same senatorial position Albert earlier rejected is what he eventually settled for and I ask: what happened to the vision that he would be governor. May be it is postponed till after 2023, when the next governor would have served out two terms.

    They eventually reached an amicable solution, which saw both of them going to the Senate. Now, Albert is standing by Emmanuel, whom he felt was better suited as governor three years ago. Anietie Okon, a former senator, has also teamed up with Emmanuel to rubbish Akpabio. So is Patrick Ekpotu, who believes Akpabio’s influence in Akwa Ibom is being blown out of proportion. As far as the first deputy governor to Akpabio is concerned, ‘Udom pass Akpabio’—apologies to music star Dino Melaye.

    We are sure in for a good time. Akwa Ibom is sure a state where the contest for the governorship will be interesting to watch. Expect brick bats, expect scandals, expect lies and more.

    The situation in Akwa Ibom has further proved that politics is all about interest, where there are no permanent friends; the only thing that is permanent is interest.

    My final take: Politicians are free to bite themselves; they are free to lie against themselves; they have the authority to throw mud at one another, but for goodness sake, they should ensure the people are not dragged down while they are dragging one another down. And my prayer is that at the end of it all, their fight will be to the benefit of the people.

  • Akpabio, Police differ over gun attack at senator’s home

    The Police and All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in Akwa Ibom State Senator Godswill Akpabio yesterday disagreed over an alleged gunmen attack on the ex-governor’s residence.

    On Tuesday night, the Senator said his hometown residence in Ukana, Essien Udim local government area, was attacked by 10 gunmen during a political meeting with his supporters.

    But the Police said hoodlums attacked a filling station near the senator’s house and not his residence.

    Senator Akpabio’s “uncommon defection” to the APC has heightened political tempo in the state.

    Akpabio’s media aide Anietie Ekong in a statement said: “Attempts by unknown gunmen to attack the Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area residence of the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Senator Godswill Akpabio have been repelled by gallant policemen attached to the former Senate Minority Leader”.

    Ekong said the Senator was holding political meetings on Tuesday night at his country home when 10 gunmen stormed his residence and shot sporadically causing stampede.

    He said the shooting brought the meeting to a temporary halt as attendees scampered for safety.

    He added that retired Deputy Inspector General of Police Udom Ekpoudom who was at the meeting made frantic calls for security beef up.

    Ekong explained that the security men attached to Akpabio’s residence after recovering from the initial shock, responded gallantly with superior fire power which forced a retreat from “the invading attackers.”

    But Commissioner of Police Adeyemi Ogunyemilusi, denied that gunmen attacked Akpabio’s residence.

    The CP said “the marathon meeting” lasted till the early hours of Wednesday amid tight security. He admitted that there was a gun scare about 200 metres from Akpabio’s residence.

    The polce chief said “six hoodlums on two motorcycles invaded a feeling station near Akpabio’s house and robbed the pump attendants of the day’s sales and the customers.

    “It was just a mere coincidence that the incident happened at about 7:30pm on Tuesday, August 21, when the meeting was ongoing at His Excellency’s residence.

    “Immediately the hoodlums attacked the filling station, somebody at the meeting called me. The Area Commander and other policemen were drafted to the scene and within minutes, security was restored.

    “You know how Ikot Ekpene is with these hoodlums on motorcycles. So it is just a flash incident of petty thieves robbing a filling station near the residence of His Excellency.

    “Even our quick response was applauded by His Excellency when he came out of the meeting to see our men heavily on guard around the area, so nobody should overheat the polity because of politics”, the CP warned.

  • Akpabio, Okon disagree on Emmanuel

    Former Senate Minority leader Senator Godswill Akpabio and a ex-senator representing Uyo, Anietie Okon, have disagreed on Governor Udom Emmanuel.

    Akpabio yesterday described Emmanuel as his greatest political mistake.

    Okon said the election of  Emmanuel as governor in 2015 was not a mistake.

    Akpabio, who dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), asked Akwa Ibom people to forgive him for the mistake.

    He spoke at Ikot Ekpene  Plaza to youths and supporters, who welcomed him back to the state from Enugu where he had gone for the his mother in-law’s funeral.

    Akpabio described Emmanuel as a mistake he made in a hurry, insisting his successor has underperformed.

    “Udom is a mistake that must be corrected in 2019”, he told the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, who he represents at the Senate.

    According to Akpabio, “all hands must be on the deck to ensure the mistake is corrected for a people-oriented leadership is enthroned under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC),  at the centre.

    “I want to thank you for defying the rain to honour me as your leader and troop out in this multitude even at short notice. It goes to show the level of love and confidence you have in me your leader, and I promise to also reward you for your time and energy in this all important project”, Akpabio said.

    According to the former Senate Minority leader, the administration of Emmanuel has failed the people, forcing him to take steps to correct the anomaly “so that posterity would be fair to me”.

    He spoke of the prevalence of hunger and deprivation in  Akwa Ibom since the administration took over on May 29, 2015, saying it was time to liberate the state from mis-governance.

    The state, he noted, should never be allowed to wallow as a ship without shepherd, adding that this informed his intervention to key the state back into central politics.

    Speaking at an endorsement rally in honour of Governor Emmanuel and his wife, Martha by the people of Eket Senatorial District at Onna Township Stadium, the PDP chieftain described Akpabio as a coward.

    He queried Akpabio’s Annang ancestry, adding that the Annang are courageous and resilient, qualities, which Akpabio lacks.

    Okon said a man of Emmanuel’s worth and integrity would never have come about by chance, but  a divine  gift from God.

    “We don’t know where they brought Akpabio from, he is a coward! I was angry yesterday when I heard Akpabio call Udom Emmanuel a mistake; God cannot be mistaken. That is the last insult the people of Akwa Ibom State would take from a man of such antecedent”.

    He declared that the people of Uyo Senatorial District had concluded the debates surrounding the 2019 elections as they consider Emmanuel’s re-election as the fastest gateway to return power to Uyo in 2013.

  • ‘Akpabio still a member of PDP’

    The Senator representing the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State, Gershom Bassey, on Tuesday said Senator Godswill Akpabio, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in an elaborate ceremony in Akwa Ibom State, was still a PDP member on the floor of the hallowed chambers.

    Speaking with reporters in Calabar today, Senator Bassey however stated that the defection issue of the former Akwa Ibom governor was not a big deal.

    He said, “He has not defected on the floor of the Senate. His defection is outside the Senate. For now he has not carpet crossed in the Senate. So he has done nothing illegal or wrong for now. In the Senate he is still in the PDP. We have not seen his letter. He letter has not been read on the floor and his seat is still in the PDP fold. So as far as we know he is still a PDP man. Until he tells us in the chambers then we would cross that bridge.”

    Also commenting on issues about the the reconvening of the National Assembly, Bassey said there was never an official notice to that effect.

    “The news media may have gotten ahead of itself in announcing and reconvening because there was no official notice to that effect. Normally when the National Assembly reconvenes it is the clerk of the NASS that sends out the notice. That is the rightful person. I am sure there was no such information from his office. So I think that the media having listened to a press conference by I think by one of the House of Reps men. But if you listen carefully to that press conference he didn’t say anything definite but I think the media just took it that it was definite. There was no plan and there has never been any plan to reconvene. What they did after the meeting of the leadership last week was that they were going to consider it. There was no commitment towards any particular date for reconvening,” he said.

    He also condemned the recent taking over the National Assembly by men of the Department of State Services.

    “I have condemned the invasion of the NASS. It is absolutely unacceptable. It is a coup against our democracy and that is the way we see it. I have called for a comprehensive independent enquiry into the incident. We have to get to the root of it. It is not enough to fire the DSS boss. I have seen the DSS man as a highly professional person. Anytime he has come to the NASS he has always been extremely professional in his presentations. So I don’t think that man would just wake up on his own and act like that. Someone must have given him instructions. So we need to get to the bottom of it. Or he was misled, one of the two, but we have to get to the bottom of it,” the Senator said.

  • To declare my seat vacant, Saraki’s must be declared vacant, says Akpabio

    Former Senate Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio yesterday declared as mere “rumour” the insinuation that his seat was likely to be declared vacant by Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    He said he was not perturbed by the report, saying over alleged plot to declare his seat vacant.

    The Akwa Ibom North west senator insisted that if the Senate President declares his seat vacant, Saraki’s seat should also be declared vacant especially when there is no division in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Asked if he is perturbed about reports that his seat might be declared vacant due to his defection to the APC, Akpabio said:

    “Even as you are looking at me, do I look perturbed? I have not heard the report. Because the reason why I think that is a rumour is that there is, at the moment, no division in the APC.

    “The APC is one family. If you hear about R-APC that was not really a political party that was not a division, has since been consumed in what they call Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).

    “So, there is no division. And so, any defection from APC to PDP, we will like to declare those seats vacant.”

    On the insistence of the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole that Saraki should beremoved if he refused to resign and whether they are mobilising for the impeachment, Akpabio said

    He said: “I just came in from Ikot-Ekpene, (Akwa Ibom State) where I decided with my people to join the APC. I’m yet to be briefed on any of those items.

    “I have not heard anything. And what I am hearing now is what you are telling me. But why don’t you wait for me to formally talk to you. I believe that when the National Assembly resumes you will hear from me directly. So, exercise patience.”

    Akpabio described his defection as “a big event that attracted the high and mighty in the country.”

    Prodded to say more Akpabio said “I have noted all your reports. We are also in Abuja. So, thank you for the reports.”

    But an official in the Senate President’s office said: “It is part of the blackmail to link Saraki with plot to declare Senator Godswill Akpabio’s seat vacant.

    “The processes of declaring a seat vacant is clear. Saraki has nothing to do with the insinuation to declare any seat vacant. We don’t want to be drawn into the unnecessary insinuation.

    “It is part of the black because Saraki has no plan to declare anybody’s seat vacant,” says a source in Saraki’s office who does not want his name mentioned.”