The former minister of Niger Delta issues is allegedly losing the backing of certain senators-elect who had earlier backed him for the Senate presidency.
Unconfirmed media sources state that Akpabio’s tense relationship with the National Assembly as Minister of the Niger Delta is the cause of this.
One senator-elect acknowledged the loss of support for Akpabio, pleading for anonymity with reporters and said that he cannot support him for Senate President after he publicly detested the National Assembly.
He said,
“I have withdrawn support for Senator Akpabio. It’s not only me. Many of us have withdrawn our support, and it will show on the floor.
”I used to have very high regard for Senator Akpabio as a person, but I can’t support him to be the Senate President.
“How can he (Akpabio) come and preside over an institution which he once described as a cesspit of corruption after benefitting from the same institution.”
Recall how Akpabio, who was minister of Niger Delta issues at the time, said without providing any evidence that National Assembly members had benefited from significant contracts with the Niger Delta Development Commission, which Rep members perceived as disrespectful to the house.
Akpabio said that National Assembly Members were the top beneficiaries of contracts issued by the commission while testifying before a House of Representatives committee looking into the alleged misappropriation of N81.5 billion by the commission.
The House of Representatives speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, then commanded him to name the lawmakers or face the “wrath of the house.”
Akpabio continued by mentioning some of the recipients, including James Manager, senator for Delta South, Peter Nwaoboshi, head of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Matthew Urhoghide, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, and others.
Akpabio later refuted the claim that National Assembly members were receiving 60% of the contracts awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), claiming that he had only mentioned 60% during his presentation to the NDDC committee and that it had been in response to a question from a committee member.
A new Senate President will be chosen by senators-elect for the next four years on June 13, 2023, at the beginning of the 10th National Assembly.
Senator Abdul’ Aziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, is the opponent for Senator Akpabio and is reportedly popular among senators-to-be from all political parties.