Akpabio denies impeachment plot but orders probe

The Senate on Wednesday asked its committee on special duties to probe into the alleged plot to impeach Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The social media was inundated with reports of Akpabio’s planned impeachment, with some online platforms saying the Department of State Service (DSS) operatives had taken over the National Assembly Complex to halt the move by some senators who were alleged displeased with Akpabio’s performance.

Some online platforms also accused the Northern senators of being behind the alleged plot to impeach the Senate President.

Our correspondent who was at the National Assembly, however, reports that the security arrangement at the Complex and premises of the law-making body was normal.

Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom State had emerged Senate President on June 13, 2023, after defeating his lone challenger, and former governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, in a keenly contested election.

He had the backing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to clinch the number three position of the country.

Reacting to the claim, during plenary, Akpabio who presided over the session, described the online reports as fake news.

The Senate President said, “They said DSS has surrounded the National Assembly to possibly stop the impeachment of principal officers. There is no limit to what social media can do. We are sitting down here doing our work peacefully oblivious of the mischief.

“Which committee do we refer this to? I understand that they are being paid if they have a lot of traffic, but I hope the public is aware that this is total fake news.”

Akpabio referred the issue to the committee on special duties to investigate and report back to the committee of the whole as soon as possible.

Also, the Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South) who briefed newsmen on the issue said there was no such move against Akpabio, describing the report as baseless.

The Chairman Northern Senators’ Forum, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua, who spoke with newsmen, also dispelled the claim that senators from the North were perfecting plans to impeach Akpabio.

Senator Yar’adua said Senators at the upper chamber were all united towards tackling the challenges bedevilling the country, adding that the reports were handiwork of mischief makers trying to cause disaffection among the lawmakers.

A statement by Akpabio’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon Eseme Eyiboh also said, “There is no crack in the Upper Chamber and no Senator or Caucus is plotting any impeachment against the President of the Senate. Every Senator is focused on raising the bar of legislative agenda and nation-building.”