Senate Saga: Oshiomhole Speaks on Akpabio's Potential Resignation
- Senate President Godswill Akpabio has been told he will have to resign the new standing order he was proposing had been passed
- Senator Adams Oshiomhole of Edo North made the claim while speaking on his agitation against the new proposal from the Senate president
- Oshiomhole gave a reason why Akpabio would have to resign as Senate president, and his position has started generating reactions from Nigerians
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Adams Oshiomhole, the former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and senator representing Edo North in the 10th National Assembly, has claimed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio should have resigned from his position if his move to change the rules to become the Senate president had been passed.
Oshiomhole, who was a two-term governor of Edo state, explained that the new rule, which has now been reversed, compelled anyone who was aspiring to be Senate president or hold any principal position in the Red Chamber to have been in the Senate for eight consecutive years. A development that the former APC chairman strongly kicked against.
Source: Twitter
The former governor argued that by virtue of integrity and standard, Akpabio, who was proposing the new rule, would need to resign if it was passed, adding that the Senate president became a minority leader in his first term in the Senate, and this is his second term, he was elected as the Senate president. Thus, he was yet to spend the full eight years in the chamber.
He added that Akpabio was elected as Senate president because the position was zoned to the south-south and he was the only high-ranking senator from the region at that time, but he feared that in 2027, he would have more competitors for the same position.
Nigerians react as Oshiomhole speaks on Akpabio's resignation
The former governor's outburst has started generating reactions from Nigerians. Below are some of their comments:
Funsho Abel questioned why former governors retired to the Senate:
"Let us ask Oshomole, the Senate is not populated by former governors like this coming one, just check, almost all the outgoing governors want to come back to the Senate. All of them want to legislate after leaving as governor; the rule is ok."
Source: Twitter
Jerry Abimbola said Akpabio should not be afraid of a competitor:
"What's he hiding? He shouldn't be afraid of competitors. There should be senators competing for the Senate president in the 11th assembly. When power gets into the wrong hands, wrong decisions are declared as truth."
Oluwole Olotu said the new senator should
"A freshman senator should not become Senate president. The US Constitution grants Congress the power to pass its own rules. But we digress; nothing works in Nigeria according to best practices."
Fuji Dancer said Oshiomhole was right:
"Baba Oshio is making a good point. Akpabio is self-serving. After climbing a ladder to the top, he pulls it up to stop others from using it to climb. He should realise that the zones producing the #1 and #2 citizens affect the zoning of the #3 citizen, the Senate President."
You can see Oshiomhole's video on X here:
Senate presidency: Akpabio proposes new rule
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Senate has amended its internal rules that restricted the eligibility of those interested in the Senate presidency to a few.
The new rules indicated that only members of the 10th National Assembly, who returned to the Chamber, can become principal officers in the 11th assembly.
The decision was reached after a marathon closed-door session that was publicly criticised by Senator Adams Oshiomhole from Edo state.
Source: Legit.ng
