SENATE PRESIDENT AKPABIO DEFIES PRESSURE TO RESIGN
Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Thursday May 8th defiantly rejected growing calls for his resignation, dismissing the mounting criticism as a product of “false allegations” and politically motivated narratives.
Akpabio’s statement came during a charged Senate plenary session, where Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele had earlier praised the chamber for maintaining focus despite pressure from external critics who questioned Akpabio’s continued leadership.
Akpabio abruptly interjected Bamidele’s remarks, saying: “I will not step down over false allegations,” in a pointed response to increasing political commentary surrounding a controversial court judgment.
Observers believe Akpabio was referencing the 2021 conviction of Prof. Peter Ogban, a former university lecturer, for manipulating the results of the 2019 senatorial election in his favour. Although Akpabio was later cleared to contest again in 2023 and won his seat, the recent Court of Appeal ruling that upheld Ogban’s conviction reignited debates about his moral authority to lead Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber.
However, Akpabio’s allies have maintained that the court case had no direct implication on the Senate President himself and that his mandate, secured in 2023, remains valid and uncontested.
The controversy comes as Akpabio faces a turbulent political climate, with public trust in governance declining and internal Senate dynamics increasingly under scrutiny.
