Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator
Godswill Akpabio has incurred the wrath of his Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) colleagues in the Senate over what senators of the PDP have
reportedly described as Akpabio’s involvement in “anti-party
activities.”
According to an informed source who did
not want to be named, trouble began for Akpabio when he was spotted two
weeks ago, during a secret visit to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a
national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Akpabio, the source disclosed to SIGNAL
on Wednesday, had paid a secret visit to Tinubu at his Bourdillon Lagos
residence but was sighted by some individuals who instantly alerted the
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu. Ekweremadu, by virtue
of his position is currently the highest-ranking PDP member within the
Nigerian government. Worried by the report of Akpabio’s visit to Tinubu,
Ekweremadu immediately confronted Akpabio. According to the source,
Akpabio dismissed the matter casually, saying he visited Tinubu over
some “personal issues.” Akpabio’s attitude was said to have infuriated
Ekweremadu and the matter quickly escalated to the entire PDP caucus in
the Senate.
“The whole thing did not go down well
with Ekweremadu and the PDP caucus in the Senate who were concerned that
their Leader in the Senate who should be actively engaged
with providing leadership and a voice for the PDP opposition is busy
hobnobbing, not just with the ruling party but one of its most
influential chieftains who played a key role in providing the funding,
structure and media propaganda that kicked the PDP out of power in 2015
after 16 years. To make matters worse, Akpabio did not show any sign of
remorse in the way he has gone about the issue. PDP senators are angry
with him and are now making moves already for his removal”, the source
said.
Further checks by SIGNAL revealed that
the timing of Akpabio’s visit to Tinubu further worsened matters for the
former Governor of Akwa-Ibom State. Recall that just last week, the PDP
caucus in the Senate declared that it was withdrawing support from
the government of President Muhammadu Buhari over the increasing
persecution of leading PDP opposition members nationwide under the guise
of fighting corruption. According to reports available to this
newspaper, PDP senators are concerned that Akpabio of all people is the
one visiting Tinubu at a time the PDP senators had just declared war on
Buhari’s government.
In a similar development, a top PDP
chieftain who did not want to be named told SIGNAL on Wednesday that
Akpabio has disappointed many PDP members over his lackluster approach
to his responsibilities as the Senate Minority Leader.
“He hardly comes to the Senate, and even
when he shows up, he doesn’t make significant contributions. It’s as if
the PDP does not even have a voice in the Senate. When last did you
hear Akpabio move any motion on any serious matter or sponsor a bill?
When last did he issue a statement over the persecution and oppression
of opposition members like Fayose, Femi-Fani-Kayode, Omisore, Olisa
Metuh and many others who are under attack by the Buhari administration?
And he’s supposed to be our Leader in the Senate? This is not good
enough at all. They have been in the Senate for the last one year. Is
this how we are going to play opposition? We need a Leader in the Senate
who can speak for us. Not someone with baggage or someone who cannot
talk for fear of EFCC prosecution”, the source said.
SIGNAL made attempts to contact Senator
Akpabio for comments. His phone lines were switched off at the time of
filing this report.
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