The job of Godswill Akpabio as Nigeria’s Senate President is on the line over the recent alleged budget padding scandal.
According to Sahara Reporter, those calling for him to step down are state governors from the northern part of the country, who the report said are putting pressure on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that the former governor of Akwa Ibom state, is ousted from office.
Last week, a northern senator, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Abdul Ningi alleged that N3.7 trillion was padded into this year’s by the senators, noting that the budget being implemented by President Tinubu was different from the one passed by the National Assembly.
Senator Ningi had since been suspended by the Senators who accused him of making false allegation.
In spite of this, the dust raised by Senator Ningi’s allegation has failed to settle as more Nigerians are demanding a probe.
For instance, not a few Nigerians are demanding investigation on the allegation that senators and House of Representatives members, shared the humongous amount, with some lawmakers receiving as much as N500 million or more.
Akpabio on his part is believed to have received over N21 billion while other principal officers in NASS allegedly received huge amount based on their ranking.
The lawmakers, in their defence insist that the shared fund, is for projects in their constituencies.
The online newspaper report that northern governors have now threatened a “civil war’ if Akpabio is allowed to hold on to his position.
“The suspension of Senator Ningi is heating the Nigerian political scene beyond what Akpabio anticipated. The heat is getting to President Tinubu.
“President Tinubu is unhappy about what Akpabio and his group did in the National Assembly. Northern governors are pressuring Tinubu to remove Akpabio or face a civil war,” a source told SaharaReporters.
Recall that Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Leader said last week that Akpabio was the target of Ningi’s allegation.
According to him, some powerful forces who are not comfortable that a southerner is the Senate President, are seriously working to oust Akpabio.
He described the allegation as a civilian coup which was botched by the senators.
Senator Bamidele said, “What my big brother, distinguished Senator Abdul Ningi, whom I respect so well, planned to do or set out to do was tantamount to a civilian coup which has failed. And in doing this, he wanted to use the platform of the Northern Senators’ Forum. God bless all those who have dissociated themselves from the Northern Senators’ Forum.”
Akpabio had few hours after the Senate met last Tuesday and suspended Ningi, rushed to have a meeting with President Tinubu in Aso Rock, Presidential Villa.
Those watching the scandal said the aim of the meeting is to save his job as Nigeria’s number three citizen.
