By Adesakin Adefemi
Senator Adams Oshiomhole has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of harbouring deep suspicion against him, saying the Senate leadership is uncomfortable with his presence on the chamber floor.
Speaking on the Sunday edition of _MIC ON PODCAST_, the Edo North senator said Akpabio’s bias against him is well known within the Senate. Oshiomhole alleged that the Senate President would lock him out if he had his way, claiming Akpabio has “misled himself into thinking that I am probably the devil he knows.”
Oshiomhole, a founding governor of the All Progressives Congress and former Deputy Director-General of the Bola Tinubu Campaign Council, said his contributions to the party and the 2023 electoral victory should count for more than personal friction. “I’m not saying I am responsible for the victory, but I worked for it, and I’m happy we got it,” he said.
The former Edo State governor predicted that the 11th Senate would not mirror the current leadership style, citing growing discontent among lawmakers. “Senators are grumbling about his style of leadership. But we try to manage, and I’ve tried to assure him that ‘Look, Mr Senate President, I am a very fulfilled person,’” Oshiomhole stated.
He insisted that he remains focused on serving his constituents, adding that he asks God for wisdom to discharge any assignment given to him. The senator said he would not speculate on the reason for Akpabio’s bias but maintained that it is an open secret in the chamber.
Oshiomhole cited an encounter with Senator Abdulaziz Yari as an example of Akpabio’s unease. According to him, when Yari expressed interest in becoming Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, which Oshiomhole chairs, Akpabio allegedly asked if Yari wanted to join him to plan his removal as Senate President.
The senator reminded that the Senate President is “first among equals” and serves at the pleasure of his colleagues. “Only the persons favoured by the Senators are elected. If Senator Yari had got the majority, he could have become the Senate President. It is not about what anybody wishes,” he warned.
Oshiomhole’s comments come days after the Senate distanced itself from his description of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited as “a bunch of criminals and thieves,” insisting the remarks were personal. The Red Chamber also adopted a motion clarifying that no committee can issue an arrest warrant without the Senate President’s approval.
Efforts to get Akpabio’s reaction through his media aide, Hon Eseme Eyiboh, were unsuccessful as of press time. The exchange highlights rising tensions within the APC-led Senate as lawmakers navigate internal divisions ahead of the next leadership cycle.
