SENATE President, Godswill Akpabio has responded to statements from a former senator, Elisha Abbo, criticising his leadership.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Rt. Hon Eseme Eyiboh, Akpabio described Abbo’s recent comments as ‘bitterness and desperation’.
Senator Abbo, who represented Adamawa North Senatorial District but later had his election quashed by the court, has claimed that he rejected a $10,000 bribe to support Senate President Godswill Akpabio. He also accused Akpabio of running the Nigerian Senate like a personal empire and targeting lawmakers who opposed him.
Abbo made these allegations while speaking on Arise News’ PrimeTime show on Wednesday night. He also claimed that Akpabio orchestrated the removal of senators who did not align with him.
Abbo said: “He told me that five senators would be removed. I asked how he knew, and he said, ‘I am the Senate President. I know.’ True to his words, five of us were removed. I had no idea that I was one of them,” he stated.
Recalling the events leading up to Akpabio’s election as Senate President, Abbo claimed he rejected Akpabio’s request for support. “When I won election into the 10th Senate, I became the de facto DG of the campaign for Senator Abdulaziz Yari. He (Akpabio) came to my hotel room around 2 a.m., asking for my support. I told him I was already committed to Yari and wished him good luck,” he said.
Abbo further alleged that financial inducements were offered to senators to support Akpabio. “At a meeting at Transcorp Hilton, $10,000 was being distributed, but I refused to take any money,” he revealed.
But responding to these allegations, Akpabio maintains that it is unfortunate that instead of accepting the consequences of his legal and political failings, Mr. Abbo continues to resort to media theatrics and reckless finger-pointing.
Senator Akapbio’s statement is hereunder reproduced verbatim.
RE: BASELESS ALLEGATIONS BY MR ELISHA ABBO AGAINST THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
The attention of the Office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to another round of spurious and malicious accusations by Mr. Elisha Abbo, who unlawfully represented Adamawa North Senatorial District save a judicial intervention. He has again sought to blame the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, for the travail of his judicial sanction that occasioned his ouster from the Senate.
It is sad and regrettable that despite publicly retracting a similar allegation in 2023 — after admitting that his earlier accusation was “premature and based on the available information at our disposal”—Mr. Abbo has once again embarked on a campaign of misinformation and blame transfer.
Following a discussion with the Senate President last year, Mr. Abbo himself acknowledged that Senator Akpabio had “no involvement” in the judicial process that led to his removal. It is puzzling that he would now return to the same baseless allegations he once renounced.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Court of Appeal, after a thorough legal process, ruled unequivocally that Mr. Abbo’s presence in the Red Chamber was in error. The court determined that he was not validly elected as the senator for Adamawa North, and consequently, he was removed.
The court acted in accordance with the extant laws and the Constitution within its sacred duty to uphold the rule of law. Senator Akpabio, a seasoned lawyer and democrat holds the independence of the judiciary in the highest regard and would never interfere in its processes.
It is, therefore, both illogical and irresponsible for Mr Abbo to now turn around and allege that the Senate President influenced a court judgment—a judgment which he accepted at the time and for which he expressed contrition for his earlier unfounded claims. ( see Punch newspaper of 18th October 2023)
Mr Abbo has also sought to create the impression that he was unjustly denied official benefits following his ouster. He claims entitlement to salaries, allowances, and even an official vehicle, despite the court’s declaration that his tenure was null and void ab initio.
In matters of financial and administrative processing, it must be stated that the Senate President only approves payments that have been duly vetted and forwarded by the appropriate administrative units, in line with extant laws, Senate procedures, and standard due diligence practices.
If any of Mr. Abbo’s claims for payment did not reach the desk of the Senate President, it is because they failed to meet these lawful standards—not because of any personal or political vendetta.
It is unfortunate that instead of accepting the consequences of his legal and political failings, Mr. Abbo continues to resort to media theatrics and reckless finger-pointing. Even more telling is his record of public conduct. Nigerians will recall that in 2019, he was caught on video assaulting a female citizen in Abuja—an incident for which he was ordered by a competent court to pay N50 million in damages. This is a matter of public record and speaks volumes about his temperament and disposition.
His recent outbursts about unpaid travels and imagined plots further reinforce the conclusion that his actions are driven not by facts or principle, but by bitterness and desperation to remain politically relevant. These claims are not only baseless, but they reek of grievance and a refusal to accept personal responsibility for his removal and loss of public trust.
Senator Godswill Akpabio remains focused on the noble task of nation-building, providing purposeful leadership in the Senate, and strengthening democratic institutions — especially the independence of the judiciary. He will not be distracted by the antics of individuals who seek to rewrite history to mask personal failures.
We urge Mr Abbo to reflect deeply, respect the rule of law, and focus on rebuilding the confidence of his constituents if he hopes to return to public life. Nigeria’s democracy can only thrive when its actors show maturity, responsibility, and an abiding respect for the truth.
Signed:
Rt Hon Eseme Eyiboh
Special Adviser, Media/Publicity and official Spokesperson to the President of the Senate
April 3, 2025
Eighteen-Eleven Media