An Ekiti born social crusader, Prince Ademola Olumide Ojo has cautioned Northern Senators to stop intimidating their counterparts from the South, saying “even if Godswill Akpabio is eventually removed as the senate president, the next president will emerge from the South and not from the North.
Reacting to statements from some Northern politicians concerning the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) for 3 months, Ojo in a chat with journalists on Saturday stated that the South would resist any attempt to “shortchange them from being senate president for eight years”, stressing that the senate presidency under the Buhari administration was domiciled in the Northern region for eight years- which was taken for Bukola Saraki. (2015-2019) and Ahmed Lawan (2019-2023) respectively.
“We won’t entertain any nonsense from them anymore. Enough is enough! They’ve taken their shot during the reign of Muhammadu Buhari. Even if Akpabio is removed today, it will remain in the south, and we very serious about it. This country belongs to all of us. Nobody can intimidate us. We understand they wanted to impeach Akpabio and install a former Senate presidential candidate from the North but we won’t allow it happen.
“Go and tell them that if anyone is conspiring to be senate president from the North, it will not work. If the president is a Southerner, his senate president should be a Southerner as well. We didn’t argue with them under Buhari, even though the excuse was that there was no elected lawmaker from the South-east. In 2019 when we had lawmakers from the Southeast, what happened? They still produced the senate president.
“Whether in court to challenge the suspension of Ningi or not, it won’t go to the North. Remove Akpabio today, we shall push and support the emergence of another southerner. Therefore, tell them to bury their aspirations for now. Tell them it’s the turn of the South and the South is very united for now.”
Recall that Senate leader Opeyemi Bamidele had alleged that northern senators always attempt to abruptly unseat a Senate president from southern Nigeria.
“I’m speaking as a Southerner for the first time. The attempt to take the election of the leadership of this Senate beyond June 13, 2023, must stop,” Mr Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central, said during last Tuesday’s plenary.
Mr Bamidele reacted to Senator Abdul Ningi’s claim that the 2024 budget was padded from N25 trillion to N28.7 trillion and that the executive was implementing the inflated budget.
The Ekiti lawmaker accused the Bauchi Central senator of trying to instigate an impeachment plot against Senate President Godswill Akpabio (Akwa-Ibom North-west) despite members of the Northern Senators Forum dissociating themselves from it.
The Senate leader likened Mr Ningi’s action to a failed civilian coup, accusing the northern senator of trying to use the forum’s name to push his agenda.
He said, “What this was set out to do was tantamount to a failed civilian coup. He wanted to use the platform of the Northern Senators Forum.”
Mr Bamidele warned that any attempt to take over the Senate’s leadership beyond June 13, 2023, must stop, just as he recalled that over 60 senators voted for Mr Akpabio.
“Over 60 senators voted for Godswill Akpabio, but over 40 voted against Akpabio, the will of the majority. But a few have refused to let the electioneering activities pass them by. They still hold bile, and that is why it is always about Akpabio, never about the Senate, House of Representatives, DG, or Budget.
“It’s always about Akpabio, never about the Senate. This is a defining moment for us to say if we’re going to have a stable Senate, let us have one. It’s not about north and south; it’s about our rules; it’s about our people who are hungry and deprived.
“Mr President (Akpabio), you are sitting as chair. Make no mistake about it. A few people who felt they would not give you more than one year to spend on this chair want to do everything possible before June 13 to remove you,” the senator said.
Mr Bamidele recalled that a South-South representative last occupied the Senate president position over 40 years ago.
“The last time the entire people of the South had the chance to be Senate president was during Obasanjo regime when it went to the South-East.
“Five people (northerners) were elected in quick succession. But as soon as it left the South, we had peace and stability again because we will always cooperate.
“David Mark spent eight years; Senator Ahmed Lawan spent peaceful four years. Saraki even with all he did spent four years, was not impeached. It is about Akpabio, it is about the South. You can now understand why Senator Ningi will want to use the name of the Northern Senators Forum even when most of them did not agree to it,” he stated.
