Senators on Thursday passed a vote of confidence on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Senators on Thursday passed a vote of confidence on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
The vote of confidence on the Presiding Officer of the Senate came on the heels of reports that his colleagues have plans to impeach him.
Some online media platforms on Wednesday speculated that the presidency had drafted a large number of operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) into the National Assembly Complex to stop Senators from performing their constitutional responsibilities including a plot to remove Akpabio as the Senate President.
Akpabio had denied the report. In dismissing the report, Akpabio said; “Distinguished colleagues, while we are seated here, there is fake news going on in the social media that the DSS have surrounded the premises because there is a plan to impeach principal officers.”
Akpabio, who looked surprised as he spoke, laughed, saying, “It is fake; I hear that they use AI (Artificial Intelligence) to do some of these things just to drive traffic.
“I hear they pay them.”
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He added that the red chamber remained united.
The presidency, also in a statement, said there were no impeachment threats against Akpabio. In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Basheer Lado, the Presidency refuted the claims, labelling them as “baseless.”
It said, “The attention of this office has been drawn to online reports that security agents have been deployed to prevent senators from carrying out their legislative duties, specifically in relation to an alleged impeachment of the Senate President.
“I wish to categorically state that these reports are baseless and should be disregarded, as there is no discord within the rank and file of the senators. The legislative body remains united in its commitment to the advancement of Nigeria’s democracy.
“The Senate continues to function freely and without interference, and any security presence within the National Assembly complex is for the routine safety and protection of legislators and staff.”
Lado said President Bola Tinubu recognised the critical role of the Senate in driving legislative progress, adding, “His Excellency remains committed to ensuring that this collaboration is based on mutual respect, dialogue, and shared goals for peace, progress and prosperity of all Nigerians.”