Photo caption: Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele
Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, on Wednesday dismissed claims suggesting any move to impeach Senate President Godswill Akpabio, describing such reports as unfounded and capable of sowing confusion within the upper chamber.
Bamidele’s clarification followed comments by former Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), who on Tuesday revealed that there had been past, though unsuccessful, attempts by some senators to unseat Akpabio.
Kalu, while speaking with journalists at the National Assembly, had said that efforts to destabilise the Senate leadership failed after key members intervened to preserve unity in the chamber.
He urged lawmakers to focus on legislative stability and national cohesion rather than political scheming.
However, addressing the issue during plenary, Bamidele made it clear that there was never any plan or discussion among senators to remove the Senate President.
“There was no attempt by any of our colleagues, nor any discussion on the possibility of removing the Senate President. We are totally united and have adopted a zero-tolerance policy for distractions because there are urgent matters of national importance demanding our attention. Reports like that are meant to create confusion,” Bamidele said.
“The Senate is stable. There is no crisis, no plan to remove anyone. Our attention is on issues that directly affect Nigerians.”
Bamidele’s rebuttal comes less than 24 hours after Kalu told journalists that some lawmakers had previously attempted to remove Akpabio but were prevailed upon to drop the plan.
“Though there were attempts, we didn’t allow that to happen. That is why I always say we are one big family, and it is not going to happen,” Kalu said.
The former Abia State governor maintained that the Senate’s priority is to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in addressing Nigeria’s economic challenges through people-centred legislation.
“Whatever the problem is, the Senate is more interested in making laws that will help President Tinubu overcome the economic difficulties our people are going through.
“We are more interested in the people. The legislation we are making is pro-people, and we are focused on ensuring Nigerians can eat three times a day,” he added.
Kalu also touched on political developments in the South-East, hinting that Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, may soon join the All Progressives Congress.
“I think after all the court cases, he is a progressive like myself, President Tinubu, and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, as well as the governors of Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu, and other APC governors.
“So, Soludo is a progressive. I don’t see anything wrong with him joining us. In fact, it is confirmed that he will join the APC. He has no other alternative than to come and join us,” Kalu said.
The latest controversy revives memories of October 2024, when speculation of a northern senator’s plot to unseat Akpabio forced the chamber to pass a vote of confidence in his leadership.
At the time, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North) distanced the Northern Senators’ Forum from any such plan, warning that “those pushing such narratives were undermining the progress of our democracy.”
