Akpabio sees me as devil, wants me out of Senate – Oshiomhole

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of being suspicious of him, claiming that the Senate President sees him as a threat within the Senate.

Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North, made the allegation while speaking on the Sunday edition of MIC ON PODCAST, amid fresh tension in the Senate over his recent comments on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL.

The former Edo State governor said Akpabio’s alleged bias against him was well known among senators, despite his contributions to the All Progressives Congress and President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 campaign.

“Don’t forget that I was a founding governor of the APC and Deputy DG of Bola Tinubu Campaign Council that gave us victory. I’m not saying I am responsible for the victory, but I worked for it, and I’m happy we got it,” Oshiomhole said.

He alleged that Akpabio would have preferred to shut him out of the Senate if he had the power to do so.

“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 misled himself into thinking that I am probably the devil he knows. There are many angels he doesn’t know,” he said.

Oshiomhole also predicted that the leadership arrangement in the 11th Senate would not be the same as the current one, claiming that some senators were unhappy with Akpabio’s leadership style.

“The 11th Senate will not be like the 10th, this I can say. It can’t be. Senators are grumbling about his style of leadership. But we try to manage,” he said.

He added that he had tried to reassure Akpabio that he was not desperate for any position in the Senate.

“I’ve tried to assure him that, ‘Look, Mr Senate President, I am a very fulfilled person.’ Whatever job I am given to do, I ask God to give me courage and even greater wisdom to do that job to the satisfaction of my constituents.

“The Senate President’s bias against me is very well known. I will not join in speculating as to the reason for his bias,” he stated.

The former labour leader further claimed that Akpabio becomes uncomfortable whenever he is seen speaking with certain senators.

He cited an alleged encounter involving Senator Abdulaziz Yari, who contested the Senate presidency against Akpabio in 2023.

According to Oshiomhole, Yari had approached Akpabio to indicate interest in becoming Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, which Oshiomhole chairs.

“The Senate President said to him, so you want to join Senator Oshiomhole to plan how to remove me as Senate President? But I just laughed it off,” Oshiomhole said.

He stressed that the Senate President remains “first among equals” and can only lead with the confidence of his colleagues.

“If you understand the way the Senate works, the Senate President is first among equals. Only the persons favoured by the senators are elected.

“Remember, if Senator Yari had got the majority, he could have become the Senate President. It is not about what anybody wishes. It is about who the senators want,” he said.

Oshiomhole’s remarks came days after the Senate distanced itself from his description of the NNPCL as “a bunch of criminals and thieves,” insisting that the comment was his personal opinion and not the position of the Red Chamber.

During plenary last week, the Senate adopted a motion sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, clarifying that no Senate committee has the power 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 by the committee.