Fresh Senate drama as Oshiomhole fires bold challenge at Akpabio

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Adams Oshiomhole has challenged Senate President Godswill Akpabio to lead by example by vacating his position as the presiding officer of the National Assembly.

Oshiomhole argued that Akpabio had not spent up to eight years in the Senate before emerging as Senate President.

The former Edo State governor was reacting to the controversial move aimed at preventing newcomers from becoming principal officers in the Senate through an amendment of the Standing Rules.

Speaking with journalists, Oshiomhole said: “The beauty of democracy is why that Section 70 is inserted into the constitution, when they say ayes or nays, you can’t hold your signatures responsible for saying I wasn’t one of them.

“I want Nigerians to say who are those senators who are trying to narrow future leadership to themselves as if it’s a family or traditional rulership?

“Let me say why this thing has serious moral crisis. The Senate President became Minority Leader in his first term when he got into the office in the 8th Senate; he became a principal officer. He’s now the one presiding and asking us to change those rules such that even somebody who has done one term can’t become principal officers.

“Number two, as we speak today, the Senate President has not done eight years in office, even if you count the previous one plus the current one it is not up to eight years.

“So if we pass the rules that you must do eight consecutive years before you can be Senate President, it means he has to lead by example by vacating because he is presiding without the appropriate qualification.

“But more offensive to me is that, as leaders who are product of bye-laws, we mustn’t make laws to perpetuate anyone.”

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