Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has denied involvement in the sack of the lawmaker representing Adamawa North, Senator Elisha Abbo.
The senator who was sacked by the Appeal Court on Monday accused Akpabio of working behind the scene to ensure he (Abbo) and other lawmakers who opposed his Senate presidency ambition lose their seats the Red Chamber.
He made the allegation while speaking with journalists in Abuja shortly after the Court of Appeal judgement.
A three-member panel of the court led by Justice C.E. Nwosu-Iheme, in a judgment, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue a Certificate of Return to Amos Yohanna of the Peoples Democratic Party as the validly elected lawmaker for the senatorial district.
Abbo said, “I have it from a reliable source, and a very highly placed one for that matter, that myself and four other Senators within the fold of the ruling All Progressives Congres would be removed from the Senate through rulings from the courts, all because of working against the emergence of Akpabio as President of the 10th Senate.
“I won’t mention the names of all the four other ones targeted, but the next in line is Senator Orji Uzor Kalu,” he said.
Abbo, whose victory was upheld by the Election Petition Tribunal, which dismissed the petition of the Peoples Democratic Party for lack of merit, said the judgement of the appellate court was strange.
“The court judgement is strange, and the judiciary needs to remain the last hope of the common man.
“For President Bola Tinubu, I must declare that this is not the democracy he fought for and that he should please lead in protecting it.”
While appealing to his supporters to be calm, Senator Abbo said he would seek a return to the Senate in 2027.
The senate president through his Special Adviser, Media, and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, dismissed his principal’s alleged involvement in the political travail of Abbo.
“It is unfortunate if he actually said that Akpabio was responsible for his removal. That’s the swan song of a man looking for scapegoats.
“The Court of Appeal across the country decides cases based on the provisions of the Electoral Act and evidence advanced by petitioners. The Senate President has no reason to witch-hunt any of his colleagues,” Tribune quoted him to have said.
