Akpabio speaks on alleged plot to impeach him, urges probe of media report

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said members of the upper chamber are united and that there is no plan to impeach him.

Mr Akpabio was reacting to a media report that the State Security Service (SSS) operatives occupied the National Assembly Complex in the early hours of Wednesday to stall his impeachment.

He said the report was false and urged the general public to disregard it.

He said the senators are holding plenary peacefully and observing their official duty without any hindrance.

“And we are here, sitting down and doing our work, very peacefully oblivious of the mischief that is going on behind us,” the senate president said during plenary.

Mr Akpabio thereafter referred the issue to the Senate Committee on Special Duties for further investigation.

He directed the committee to report their findings to the Senate after 24 hours.

“The fake news is hereby referred to the committee on special duties and should report back to the Senate in 24 hours.”

Traffic

Mr Akpabio said the report was aimed at blackmailing him and the entire Senate to drive readers to the media organisation.

“It is part of what we pass through on a daily basis. You see that they use AI to inject something to turn it around in order to drive traffic. I understand that they are being paid by YouTube, If they have a lot of traffic.

“Whoever brought out this fake news must be getting a lot of payment because of the traffic going on, but I hope the public is aware that this is total fake news,” he added.

The Senate president reiterated that members of the upper chamber are united.

“And that the chamber is very stable. And the issue of impeachment does not come in. So, Kaka, please investigate and report back to us as soon as practicable.”

Responding, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, Kaka Shehu, assured that his committee would investigate the issue and report back to the Senate as soon as possible.

This is the second report on the alleged plot to impeach Mr Akpabio since he assumed office on 13 June 2023.

Barely two months after the Senate was inaugurated, there were reports of a plot to remove him as senate president.

One of the allegations was that he could be a “yes man” of President Bola Tinubu and ultimately turn the nation’s highest legislative body into the “rubber stamp” of the presidency.

Some also claimed he needed to be more tactical and sensitive whenever he spoke.

However, none of the senators confirmed that they plotted to remove Mr Akpabio.

Yemi Adaramodu, the Senate spokesperson, dismissed the speculation, claiming that the upper chamber was united and that removing Mr Akpabio from office was impossible.