Politics
Akpabio Talks Tough: “If My Seat Is Declared Vacant, Saraki Must Lose His Seat’
There is Reformed APC, so technically the APC was factionalized when Senate president Bukola Saraki and others dumped the ruling party. But since there is no semblance of a faction in the PDP before Senator Godswill Akpabio decamped to the APC, there are strong indications his seat will be declared vacant on resumption.
Akpabio has declared as mere “rumour” the insinuation that his seat was likely to be declared vacant by Saraki.
He said he was not perturbed by the report over alleged plot to declare his seat vacant.
The Akwa Ibom North west senator insisted that if the Senate President declares his seat vacant, Saraki’s seat should also be declared vacant, claiming there is no division in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Asked if he is perturbed about reports that his seat might be declared vacant due to his defection to the APC, Akpabio said:
“Even as you are looking at me, do I look perturbed? I have not heard the report. Because the reason why I think that is a rumour is that there is, at the moment, no division in the APC.
“The APC is one family. If you hear about R-APC that was not really a political party that was not a division, has since been consumed in what they call Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).
“So, there is no division. And so, any defection from APC to PDP, we will likely declare those seats vacant.”
On the insistence of the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole that Saraki should be removed if he refused to resign and whether they are mobilising for the impeachment, Akpabio said:
“I have not heard anything. And what I am hearing now is what you are telling me. But why don’t you wait for me to formally talk to you. I believe that when the National Assembly resumes you will hear from me directly. So, exercise patience.”
But an official in the Senate President’s office said: “It is part of the blackmail to link Saraki with plot to declare Senator Godswill Akpabio’s seat vacant.
“The processes of declaring a seat vacant is clear. Saraki has nothing to do with the insinuation to declare any seat vacant. We don’t want to be drawn into the unnecessary insinuation.
“It is part of the blackmail because Saraki has no plan to declare anybody’s seat vacant,” says a source in Saraki’s office who does not want his name mentioned.
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