Akpabio sees me as devil — Oshiomhole

Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) has alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio harbours a strong bias against him, claiming that the Senate leader is often suspicious of his activities and influence within the National Assembly.

Speaking on the Sunday edition of the Mic On Podcast, Oshiomhole described Akpabio as overly concerned with his interactions with fellow senators, adding that the Senate President would exclude him from the Senate chamber if he had the power to do so.

The former Edo State governor said he could not explain the reason behind what he described as Akpabio’s hostility, despite his longstanding role within the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his contribution to President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election.

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“Don’t forget that I was a founding governor of the APC and deputy director-general of Bola Tinubu’s Campaign Council that gave us victory. I’m not saying I am responsible for the victory, but I worked for it, and I’m happy we got it,” Oshiomhole said.

He continued, “He is so paranoid about anything that has to do with me. Everybody in the Senate knows that if Senator Akpabio had his way, he would lock me out of the Senate because he has misled himself into thinking that I am probably the devil he knows. There are many angels he doesn’t know.”

Oshiomhole also predicted that the next Senate would operate differently from the current one, insisting that many lawmakers were dissatisfied with Akpabio’s leadership style.

“The 11th Senate will not be like the 10th. It can’t be. Senators are grumbling about his style of leadership. But we try to manage, and I’ve tried to assure him that I am a very fulfilled person,” he stated.

According to Oshiomhole, Akpabio’s alleged bias has become widely known among senators, although he declined to speculate on the reasons behind it.

The senator further claimed that Akpabio becomes uncomfortable whenever he engages in discussions with certain lawmakers. He cited an incident involving Senator Abdulaziz Yari, alleging that the Senate President once joked that Yari’s interest in serving as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior was linked to a plot to remove him from office.

Emphasising the democratic nature of the Senate leadership structure, Oshiomhole noted that the Senate President remains accountable to fellow lawmakers because the position is determined by the collective will of senators.

“If you understand the way the Senate works, the Senate President is first among equals. Only the persons favoured by the senators are elected,” he said.

He added that leadership in the Senate is ultimately decided by majority support among lawmakers, stressing that any senator who secures the backing of colleagues can emerge as Senate President.

“Remember, if Senator Yari had got the majority, he could have become the Senate President. It is not about what anybody wishes. It is about who the senators want,” Oshiomhole said.