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Tension Mounts As Forces Plot To Sack Akpabio

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Top politicians strongly opposed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, plan to oust him when the Senate resumes later this month.

The forces are reported to be upset that the former Akwa Ibom State Governor is playing the role of a lap dog for President Tinubu rather than serving the overall interest of lawmakers and Nigerians.

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They alleged that Akpabio’s closeness to the President has made him not pay full attention to his colleagues and work hard enough to meet the expectations of Nigerians despite the challenges in the country.

Reliable sources confirmed that some of the aggrieved Senators led by two former North West governors, want to use the recent slip made by Akpabio that “prayers’ had been sent to their mailboxes for celebrations to punish him.

READ ALSO: Tragedy As Labour Party Chieftain Beheaded In Abia

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A top source in the National Assembly, who is familiar with the plot, said that the anti-Akpabio group had already held several meetings in Saudi Arabia and Ilorin to perfect plans to impeach him upon Senate resumption.

The top NASS source said, “Among the “sins” of Senator Akpabio, is his alleged “highly-subordinated relationship with President Bola Tinubu.

“Also, the “token’ slip by the Senate President on the day of adjournment for the subsisting recess, is said to form the basis of the move to serve him the famous “banana peel” treatment.”

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It was gathered that although the Senate President had since clarified what he meant by “prayer” and withdrawn it, his gaffe did not go down well with many of his colleagues, who had expressed their concerns publicly.

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“All of these are preparatory to the 2027 general elections where a new “hybrid party” is expected to be floated by the arrowheads of the scheme,” the source close to lawmakers and security men said.

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“Plans are in top gear by some Senators to remove the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

“ I can tell you confidently that there are four Senators spearheading the plot and two of the lawmakers are former governors from the North West geo-political zone of the country.

“As a matter of fact, they had consulted one of their colleagues chairing a sensitive committee of the upper chamber over the sinister move.

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“To firm up their game plan, they met in Saudi Arabia recently, and also in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, with the same agenda to remove the Senate President”, the source hinted.

Another source noted that: “There are plans to establish a hybrid party, ahead of the 2027 elections.

“The plan is to draw membership of the yet-to-be-named political platform from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and opposition parties, especially the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

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“They intend to replicate the ‘tsunami’ that hit the then-ruling PDP in 2014, where many heavyweights of the party moved to form what is today the SPC.”

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JUST IN: Obaseki Accepts Shaibu’s Apology, Says To Err Is Human, To Forgive Divine

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says dep gov’s unwarranted provocation caused him severe personal discomfort

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has accepted the public apology made by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, noting that as a person of faith, he was under obligation to accept the apology.

In a letter titled, “Re: Public Apology By The Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu,” the governor said in good faith, he trusts that the public apology as expressed by Shaibu is genuine and followed by contrite steps to improve his conflict resolution skills.

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The letter reads: “I have noted the public apology made by the Deputy Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu. This apology followed an aberrant behaviour that contradicts what the people of Edo State stand for.

“To name a few, the Deputy Governor needlessly filed unfounded petitions in the Nigerian courts restraining me, the State House of Assembly and Security agencies from a non-existent impeachment process, followed by repeated breaches of protocol; unwarranted and unprovoked attacks in the media on my person and the State Government. The media frenzy as a result of the above and more, provided an impression of crises that has been precarious and distasteful to Edo people in the State and across the world.

READ ALSO: Obaseki/Shaibu Rift: Deputy Gov Relocated To A New Office Outside Govt House [PHOTOS]

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“Although these unwarranted provocations caused me severe personal discomfort, as a person of faith, I am under obligation to accept this apology because as they say, “to err is human, to forgive is divine.”

Obaseki further noted, “In good faith, I trust that the public apology as expressed by the Deputy Governor is genuine and followed by contrite steps to improve his conflict resolution skills. I also enjoin the Deputy Governor to guide his proxies to act in accordance with his piety.”

He added, “It is my sincere hope and that of my other colleagues in government and all well-meaning Edo people, that these rhetorics will be put to an end forthwith to enable this administration finish strong and deliver the dividends of democracy to the greatest number of Edo people over this final twelve (12) months.”

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Nigerian Prophet Makes Fresh Revelations About Kano, Ondo, Edo Politics

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The spiritual head of the Wisdom Church of Christ International, Prophet Bisi Olujobi, has released fresh revelations about the political situations in Ondo, Edo and Kano States.

Olujobi, in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Thursday, said the embattled Ondo Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, would find it hard to succeed Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in 2024.

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The cleric, who prayed for Akeredolu to conclude his tenure, recalled that he had earlier advised Aiyedatiwa to tread cautiously, to be vigilant and prayerful because of “sudden battles”.

Olujobi said, “I see him being impeached unceremoniously any moment from now and that will close permanently his political career in Ondo State.”

On Edo Deputy Governor, Philip Shuaibu, the prophet said, “Jehovah God has raised strategic people to fight for him regardless of where the battle his coming from,” asking Shuaibu to pray.

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“Shuaibu should be more humble and watchful of his securities as I see the battle not lasting long. He has a brighter chance of succeeding the incumbent, Governor Godwin Obaseki,” he stated.

Speaking about Kano politics, the Prophet said the tribunal’s judgement sacking Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf would not stand.

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According to him, “there should not be cause for alarm in Kano State as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf will retain power after appealing the judgment of the tribunal. He will laugh last.”

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Lawyers, Ex-lawmakers Disagree Over Ondo Deputy Gov’s Impeachment Plot

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…Aiyedatiwa abusing court process —Lawyers

Some lawyers, including Messrs Jiti Ogunye and Femi Emodamori, and former lawmakers from Ondo State, yesterday, disagreed over the move to impeach the embattled Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who has been accused of alleged gross misconduct.

While Ogunye and Emodamori accused the deputy governor of attempting to stop his impeachment through an interim order, the former lawmakers warned the Assembly members against heating the polity by impeaching Aiyedatiwa.

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Ogunye, who was featured on a television programme, said that Aiyedatiwa was wrong to have approached the court, when the process had not been completed.

He said: “The issue of principle here is that there is a route, under Section 188 of the Constitution, which says that ‘seven days you should receive a notice served by the Speaker on the holder of the office, be it governor or deputy governor’.

READ ALSO: Impeachment: ‘My Life Under Threat’ — Ondo Speaker Cries Out Over ‘Juju’ Scare At Residence

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“Within 14 days, a vote is taken and, if two-third passes the matter, it goes to the Chief Judge of the state within seven days and then a panel is set up within three months and the report comes in.

“After the report comes in, if the report says no misconduct has been committed, the matter ends there. If it says misconduct is proven then the person is impeached.

“That’s the process. And so, if at the tail-end the process is not followed, the holder of the office has recourse to have him restored to power.

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“The second one is the federalist principle which is very dear to me. You are a deputy governor of a state, you have a state high court, you are suing everybody in that state including the Chief Judge of that state, and you are taking them to a Federal Government court. That offends my federalist principle.”

READ ALSO: Ondo Deputy Gov Breaks Silence On Rumoured Resignation

Also throwing his weight behind Ogunye, the counsel to the House of Assembly, Femi Emodamori, argued that if the lawmakers clearly and meticulously follow Section 188 (1-9), no court, as stipulated in Section 10, has the power to intervene.

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Emodamori said: ”It is only when there are pure breaches of the law that the court may intervene. Now, the deputy governor hasn’t even been served, the notice was initiated by eleven members of the House, more than one-third required, and he didn’t wait to be served.

“He’s alleging violation of his right to a fair hearing that he’s not been served. That it’s within social media even when Section 188 says he should be served within seven days and it’s not yet seven days.

“Rushing to court even before the panel is constituted is an abuse of judicial process. He doesn’t have a fundamental human right to protect at that stage. The body to hear him is the panel to be constituted by the Chief Judge. Until the body begins work, how do you complain about the violation to a fair hearing?”

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READ ALSO: Impeachment: Aiyedatiwa’s Kinsmen Protest, Say Deputy Governor Can’t Be Removed

Assembly endorsing bad precedence—Ex-lawmakers

On their part, the former lawmakers in the state, who addressed newsmen in Akure, urged the Ondo Assembly to preserve the sanctity and integrity of the assembly.

Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers, Abiodun Jerome said: “The present House of Assembly is less than four months old, and it’s very unfortunate that impeachment proceeding is their priority amongst the myriad of critical issues confronting our state presently.

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“We want to unequivocally state here that the House must be careful not to dare the wrath of the people by heating the polity.

“The Assembly must be very careful from turning themselves into a puppet in the hands of some desperate politicians.

“It is on this note that we challenge the present Assembly not to endorse a bad precedence by going ahead with this planned impeachment of the Deputy Governor.

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“As critical stakeholders in Ondo State, we consider it incumbent that we do not fold our arms and watch our political labour and those of our pathfinders washed away by the interest of a clique within our political system.”

VANGUARD

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