Senate presidency: Talks of Tinubu, APC ‘revoking support’ for Akpabio upset ex-minister’s allies

Talks of President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives
Congress (APC) allegedly revoking their support for Godswill Akpabio as senate
president are causing upset among the allies of the former governor of Akwa
Ibom.

Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, had been
anointed by the ruling party for the position of senate president.

But Uzor Orji Kalu, senate whip and Abdulaziz Yari,
senator-elect, protested the decision to anoint Akpabio and others.

Kalu and Yari have said they are still in the race for
senate president, with the former governor of Abia hinting at an alliance with
the former.

Abdullahi Adamu, APC national chairman, had also admitted
that the leadership of the party had not consulted widely concerning the issue.

The chairman said the party was reviewing the nominations to
see if the decision could be reversed.

“We must as democrats open up. We will go back to the
drawing board. We owe our party that duty to take a look whether what was done
can be changed; what was done needs some changes or reviews,” Adamu had said.

However, Salihu Lukman, vice-chairman of the APC in the
north-west, accused Adamu of not working for the success of those nominated by
the APC as presiding officers in the 10th national assembly – an indication
that party leadership was divided over the nominations.

A source privy to the scheming said a meeting of the party’s
leadership has been fixed for Thursday to find a solution to the impasse.

There are concerns that Akpabio might have baggage that does
not sit well with the party, the source said.

Commenting on the purported stance of the party’s
leadership, Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south and director-general of
the Akpabio group, said the former minister has been accused of corruption like
any other politician.

 “It is not surprising
that whenever a politically exposed person is contesting elections, some people
would be sponsored to raise issues against him or her,” Ndume said in reaction
to the party’s purported move.

“They say some corrupt activities took place under his watch
at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) but they did not say he
misappropriated funds as governor or as minister.”

The senator said Akpabio only supervised the commission and
was not part of the day-to-day running of the organisation when he was the
minister.