The Plot Against Senator Akpabio – Lifestyle Nigeria
I had always suspected that it would be a matter of time before some forces move against Senator Godswill Akpabio. He occupies the most unstable political position in the country.
There have been eight senate Presidents since 1999; five from the South and three from the North. All of them from the South have either been impeached or threatened with impeachment. But the three Senate Presidents from the North – David Mark, Bukola Saraki and Ahmed Lawan – served out their terms without as much as a whimper from the floor.
Every session comes with its peculiar slippery slope. Chuba Okadigbo; Evan Enwerem; Adolphus Wagbara and Ken Nnamani were hounded by the then President. While the first three were removed under two years, Nnamani lasted till the end of that dispensation. But he fought many battles.
But the plot, or rumours of plot, against Akpabio are coming a bit too early, though. He’s only been on the job for three months! Obviously, the grievances are a carryover of the bad blood that ran through the leadership contest. Many from the northern bloc were against a Senate President emerging from the South, but the President and his party preferred a Christian southerner, to make up for the all-Muslim presidential ticket.
Akapbio came highly recommended for many reasons, none the least being his contributions to the party. But he faced daunting challenges, and it turned out to be the first time that a President’s preferred candidate for the position was so openly opposed by members of his party. It was an open rebellion against the President. The election was hard fought and his opponents were very wealthy and formidable politicians.
Senator Abdulaziz Yari, a newcomer to the senate and former governor of Zamfara, lost to the former Akwa Ibom governor by only 17 votes. It was the first time a freshman would run for that job after Senator George Akume vied against Senator David Mark in 2007.
The slim margin showed just how formidable he was. Yari initially refused to accept the results and there were talks of him going to court to challenge the result; something unheard of before. Yari spent heavily in both Naira and dollars to get the votes. A Journalist friend of mine who worked for him during the campaign told me that he was paid in dollars. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu from Abia State was Yari’s main backer, and he was tipped to be the Deputy Senate President had Yari won. Now, Kalu’s newspapers, The Sun and New Telegraph, are the leading voices in the campaign against Akpabio.
The plotters are aggrieved that Senator Akpabio did not appoint them into lucrative committees. They are also complaining that Akpabio is too close to President Tinubu and that the Senate is becoming a ‘’rubber stamp’’ chamber. But Akpabio’s camp is denying that there is an impeachment plot.
They claim that the senate is united behind their leader. Senator Akpabio himself played down on the matter when I spoke with him last Wednesday. ‘’There are some complaints about leadership and committee positions, but there is no cause to worry’’, he told me. He is comfortable that the plotters cannot muster enough support to oust him. A Senate President can only be removed from office with at least two-thirds of the votes, which is 72. Akpabio won his election with 63 votes and has since won more supporters from the Yari camp. He has a solid support of the majority.
The plot against Akpabio, or even a mere mention of it, is a reflection of the internal dislocations and indiscipline within the APC and, in a way, an afront to the Tinubu presidency.
If the party were a disciplined and cohesive platform with strict internal controls, discipline and codes of conduct, it is unlikely that its senators would be instigating a coup against a popularly elected leader who had the backing of both the party leadership and the executive branch of government so early in the day. Any misgivings about sharing of positions would have been discussed at caucus meetings and thrashed out maturely.
It is quite embarrassing for the senators to be quarrelling over committee positions when the nation is bleeding to death. This is the moment for the Chairman of the party, Mr. Abdullahi Ganduje, to show leadership and call the senators to order, if he has any clout given his own personal weaknesses. The polity is too fragile for such a distraction at this moment. It is also important for the President to intervene and assuage frayed nerves.
On its part, the Senate should exhibit maturity and dignity in the conduct of its business, and be sensitive to the mood of the nation. Nigerians did not vote for them to be fighting over committee positions. There are many important legislative agenda for the 10th Senate to accomplish, and the early they get down to work, the better it is for the country and the reputation of the Senate.
I am surprised that the clamour for restructuring the country has died down despite the fact that one of the nation’s main advocates for true federalism is now the president. What has happened to the calls for state police; fiscal federalism and decentralization of the functions of the federal government? These are the important matters the senate should debate on.
Senator Akpabio also has a responsibility to pay attention to the mood of the nation which at this moment is against financial imprudence. The much talked about plans to acquire expensive SUVs for the senators, and indeed members of the House of Representatives, should be scrapped. The country has no appetite for such indulgences now.
Those of us who know Akpabio well can attest to his capacity to deliver at any position he occupies. In the last three months, he has provided a strong leadership, and I commend the lawmakers for not supporting the proposal for a 40% hike in electricity tariff and military action in Niger Republic, among a few other initiatives. They should drop whatever impeachment plot that is being hatched, and concentrate on major legislative agendas. Nigerians have no stomach for petty bickering.
Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us
On Thursday, May 2, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) University of Abuja chapter has commenced an indefinite strike.
Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, Chairman of the Branch, acknowledged the event, saying the resolution was made during a congress meeting held at the institution’s Permanent Site.
Platinumpost reports that members of the UniAbuja chapter of ASUU have been at loggerheads with the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’allah and the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman over the processes for the appointment of a new VC.
An advertorial that surfaced in a national daily on March 15, 2024, sought a replacement for Na’Allah.
However, ASUU members, in a conference, rejected the ad, declared it “illegal,” and stated that it was not from the governing council.
Ugoh noted that the Universities Miscellaneous Provision Act 1993 as amended; 2003 and 2012 (Section 3, subsections 1 and 2) empowers only the governing council to advertise the VC’s seat when declared vacant.
“You will recall that the university administration placed an advert on the vacancy of the post of a Vice-Chancellor on Friday 15th March 2024,” Ugoh had said.
He argued that no other organ or individual is legally vested with the power to initiate the procedure of appointing a successive VC.
More to follow…
Do you have any information or event for ABUJAPRESS to publish or cover? Kindly Call us on +2349075556668 or Send us message on Whatsapp number +2349075556668 or Send us an email [email protected]
During the ongoing ministerial press briefing to commemorate the first year in office of the second term of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ope George, revealed that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Lagos State has experienced significant growth under the current administration.
Lifestyle Nigeria reports that the GDP has increased from N27 trillion to N41 trillion within a span of four years.
The development highlights the impressive strides that the state has made in its economic development and positions Lagos as a leading contributor to Nigeria’s overall GDP.
According to George, “Over the last couple of years, Lagos had face numerous challenges particularly when COVID 19 and Endsars struck.
“And so we have had a lot of shocks within our system over the last couple of years and with everything going on around the world.
“We are currently riding the curve and we are coming out on a better side. “You hear sometimes when they say Lagos is one of the largest economies in Africa and truly, it’s not static, we will continue to move based on what’s going on in the world.
“As we speak now, I believe that we are currently ranked 7th in terms of GDP in Africa. “We contributed at least a minimum of over 20 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and you will find that over a period of review, during the first term of Mr Governor, we are moving in the right direction.
“Our GDP has moved from about N27trn to N41 trillion, everything shows that our indices are climbing in the right direction despite all the shocks and all the problems we have witnessed in the past.”
GDP is the standard measure of the value added created through the production of goods and services in a country during a certain period.
Otherwise, is the monetary value of all finished goods and services made within a country during a specific period.
Meanwhile, World Economics Research, London, showed the official estimate for Nigeria’s GDP was $1.116 trillion at the end of 2023 in Purchasing Power Parity Terms, PPPT.
World Economics has developed a database presenting GDP in PPPT with added estimates for the size of the informal economy and adjustments for out-of-date GDP base year data.
World Economics estimated Nigeria’s GDP to be $2.113 trillion- 89% larger than official estimate.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have made a significant breakthrough by apprehending the alleged mastermind behind the violent assault on the Abuja-Kaduna passenger train in March 2022.
The development was disclosed during a press briefing held in Kaduna on Thursday, May 2, 2024, by the Police Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
Identified as Ibrahim Abdullahi, who also goes by the ominous moniker of Mandi, the suspect’s arrest marks a pivotal moment in the investigations into the unfortunate Abuja-Kaduna train attack.
ACP Adejobi revealed that Abdullahi was also involved in the abduction of students from Greenfield University in 2021, shedding light on the extent of his alleged criminal activities.
Source: Politics Nigeria
Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact
