Senate leader denies move to oust Akpabio

Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), the Senate Leader, on Wednesday dismissed media reports alleging a plot to remove the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, describing them as false, misleading, and intended to create confusion within the National Assembly.

Addressing the Senate during plenary, Bamidele said there had been no discussion or contemplation among lawmakers regarding Akpabio’s removal, stressing that the upper chamber remains united and focused on its legislative duties.

“There was no attempt by any of our colleagues, nor any discussion around the possibility or otherwise of the removal of the Senate President from office,” Bamidele stated.

He added that the Senate had resolved to resist distractions and concentrate on issues of national importance.

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“We are totally united and have developed a zero-tolerance attitude toward distractions because there are urgent issues of public importance we need to attend to. Reports like that are calculated to create confusion,” he said.

Bamidele’s clarification followed comments by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North), who spoke to journalists on Tuesday about rumours of internal disputes in the Senate.

Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, reaffirmed that senators remain solidly behind Akpabio’s leadership and that there is no crisis in the Red Chamber.

However, some media reports misrepresented his remarks, suggesting he had confirmed plots to unseat the Senate President.

Setting the record straight, Kalu dismissed the insinuations as baseless.

“Were you there?” he asked a reporter who raised the question. “Even if there were attempts, we will never allow that to happen. We are one big family, and it’s not going to happen.”

He further described the reported tension as merely a “family misunderstanding,” stressing that senators are united in their legislative responsibilities and in their support for the current leadership.

With both Bamidele and Kalu reaffirming the chamber’s unity, the Senate has effectively dispelled rumours of any impeachment plot, restating its commitment to legislative stability, national development, and cooperation under Akpabio’s leadership.