The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has denied allegations of influencing the court judgment that led to the removal of former Adamawa Central Senator, Elisha Abbo, from the Senate in October 2023.
Mr Akpabio, in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Eseme Eyiboh, on Thursday, reaffirmed his commitment to the independence of the judiciary and assured that he would never influence any court decision.
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The senate president’s comment was in reaction to the allegation made by the former Adamawa senator on Arise Television on Wednesday.
During the television programme, Mr Abbo accused the senate president of orchestrating his removal from the senate as political retaliation for his refusal to support his senate presidency bid in 2023.
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Abbo’s sack from Senate
Mr Abbo was removed from the Senate by an appellate court ruling in October 2023.
A three-member panel presided over by C.E. Nwosu-Iheme, a judge, found that the 2023 elections in Adamawa Central Senatorial District were marred by non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.
After deducting the invalid votes, the court ruled that Amos Yohanna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the election with a majority of lawful votes.
The court, therefore, set aside the Certificate of Return issued to Mr Abbo, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue the certificate to Mr Yohanna.
Similar judicial interventions led to the removal of other senators, including former Minority Leader Simon Mwadkwon (PDP), who was replaced by Pam Dachungyang (ADP), and former Kogi Central Senator Abubakar Ohere (APC), who was replaced by Natasha Apoti-Uduagan (PDP).
Abbo’s allegations against Akpabio
But during the television programme, Mr Abbo alleged that his refusal to support Mr Akpabio’s senate presidency bid in 2023 led to his ouster.
“He told me that five senators would be removed. I asked how he knew, and he said, ‘I am the Senate President. I know’. True to his words, five of us were removed. I had no idea that I was one of them,” he said during the television programme.
Additionally, Mr Abbo accused Mr Akpabio of offering senators $10,000 each at a meeting at Transcorp Hilton to secure their votes for his senate presidency bid, an offer he said he refused.
“At a meeting at Transcorp Hilton, $10,000 was being distributed, but I refused to take any money,” he added.
He further alleged that Mr Akpabio denied him several financial benefits, including salary and travel expenses, after his removal was confirmed.
This is the second time Mr Abbo has made such allegations.
However, in 2023, he admitted that Mr Akpabio had no hand in the court ruling and that his suspicions were premature.
Campaign of misinformation and blame transfer
Reacting to Mr Abbo’s allegations, the senate president described them as a desperate attempt to spread misinformation and shift blame for his removal.
“It is sad and regrettable that despite publicly retracting a similar allegation in 2023—after admitting that his earlier accusation was “premature and based on the available information at our disposal”—Mr Abbo has once again embarked on a campaign of misinformation and blame transfer.
“Following a discussion with the Senate President last year, Mr Abbo himself acknowledged that Senator Akpabio had “no involvement” in the judicial process that led to his removal. It is puzzling that he would now return to the same baseless allegations he once renounced.”
Mr Akpabio argued that the Court of Appeal’s decision was based on legal scrutiny and adherence to constitutional provisions.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Court of Appeal, after a thorough legal process, ruled unequivocally that Mr Abbo’s presence in the Red Chamber was in error. The court determined that he was not validly elected as the Senator for Adamawa North, and consequently, he was removed.
“The court acted in accordance with the extant laws and the Constitution within its sacred duty to uphold the rule of law. Senator Akpabio, a seasoned lawyer and democrat, holds the independence of the judiciary in the highest regard and would never interfere in its processes.”
Illogical accusations
The senate president also criticised Mr Abbo’s contradictory stance, questioning why he was now reviving allegations he had previously dismissed.
“It is therefore both illogical and irresponsible for Mr. Abbo to now turn around and allege that the Senate President influenced a court judgment—a judgment which he himself accepted at the time and for which he expressed contrition for his earlier unfounded claims. (see Punch newspaper of 18th October, 2023)
“Mr Abbo has also sought to create the impression that he was unjustly denied official benefits following his ouster. He claims entitlement to salaries, allowances, and even an official vehicle, despite the court’s declaration that his tenure was null and void ab initio.”
Approving Mr Abbo’s salary
The senate president also addressed Mr Abbo’s grievances regarding unpaid benefits, clarifying that all payments in the Senate are subjected to administrative vetting and approval.
He claimed that if any of Mr Abbo’s request for payment was not approved, it means that the payment was illegal and not because of personal issues.
“In matters of financial and administrative processing, it must be stated that the Senate President only approves payments that have been duly vetted and forwarded by the appropriate administrative units, in line with extant laws, Senate procedures, and standard due diligence practices.
“If any of Mr Abbo’s claims for payment did not reach the desk of the Senate President, it is because they failed to meet these lawful standards—not because of any personal or political vendetta,” the statement said.
Mr Abbo’s past records
In the statement, Mr Akpabio also recalled Mr Abbo’s history of misconduct, referencing a 2019 incident in which he was caught on video assaulting a female in Abuja.
“It is unfortunate that instead of accepting the consequences of his legal and political failings, Mr Abbo continues to resort to media theatrics and reckless finger-pointing. Even more telling is his record of public conduct. Nigerians will recall that in 2019, he was caught on video assaulting a female citizen in Abuja—an incident for which he was ordered by a competent court to pay N50 million in damages. This is a matter of public record and speaks volumes about his temperament and disposition.”
The senate president said Mr Abbo’s allegation was a desperate attempt to remain politically relevant.
“His recent outbursts about unpaid travels and imagined plots further reinforce the conclusion that his actions are driven not by facts or principle, but by bitterness and desperation to remain politically relevant. These claims are not only baseless, but they reek of grievance and a refusal to accept personal responsibility for his removal and loss of public trust.”
He reaffirmed his focused on governance, legislative leadership, and upholding democratic institutions, including judicial independence
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The statement said, “Senator Godswill Akpabio remains focused on the noble task of nation-building, providing purposeful leadership in the Senate, and strengthening democratic institutions—especially the independence of the judiciary. He will not be distracted by the antics of individuals who seek to rewrite history to mask personal failures.
“We urge Mr Abbo to reflect deeply, respect the rule of law, and focus on rebuilding the confidence of his constituents if he hopes to return to public life. Nigeria’s democracy can only thrive when its actors show maturity, responsibility, and an abiding respect for the truth.”
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