The Senate has stated unequivocally that there is no plot to impeach its President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, clarifying that Chairman of the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC), Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North), was quoted out of context in an interview.
Senator Kalu, in response to a question from journalists on Tuesday at the National Assembly, on alleged moves to impeach Akpabio, dismissed the speculation as a “family misunderstanding”, insisting that lawmakers remain united in supporting the leadership and the national agenda.
“There were attempts, but we didn’t allow that to happen. We are one big family, and it’s not going to happen,” he assured.
Denying the report on the planned sack of Akpabio, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), said: “Godswill Akpabio as President of the Senate by one of our colleagues, His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, and Your Excellency, the Deputy President of the Senate, sitting as President of the Senate, called my attention to this, and one of us tried to speak with His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, and he eventually returned the call. And from my discussions with Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, it was obvious to me that it was quoted out of context.
“And the reason I’m standing up to make this clarification is that there was no attempt by any of our colleagues here; there was, in fact, no discussion around the possibility or otherwise of the removal of His Excellency Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio as President of the Senate.
“We are not taking this misinformation for granted because we know that at this time it’s not only that we are all united behind the leadership of His Excellency Senator Godswill Akpabio as President of the Senate, but we are also developing a zero level of tolerance to distraction because there are very urgent issues of public importance that we need to attend to in this Senate, and we are trying to ensure that we prevent any form of distraction, and such a report like that was aimed at also causing distraction and also trying to create confusion in the minds of members of the public.
“We are totally united in this Senate, and there is no tension in this Senate, and as far as we are concerned, you know there is no reason for us to begin to contemplate the removal of any of our presiding officers.
“So I just wanted to state this for the record, Mr. President.”
Responding, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North), who presided, said: “Thank you, our capacity leader, for this clarification. All and sundry should please take note.”