Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has responded to allegations made by Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo that he was responsible for the judgment of the Appeal Court asking him to vacate the seat.
It would be recalled that on Monday, a three-member panel of the Appeal Court in Abuja invalidated the election of Senator Abbo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who represented Adamawa North in the National Assembly.
The panel headed by Justice C.E. Nwosu-Iheme, sacked Senator Abbo and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a Certificate of Return to Amos Yohanna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the democratically elected lawmaker representing the area in the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, the sacked Senator commenting on his removal said the Senate President was behind the decision of the court.
According to him, about five lawmakers had been marked for removal for supporting ex-governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdulaziz Yari in the Senate President election.
But a statement issued on Tuesday by Eseme Eyiboh, an aide to Akpabio rejecting the allegations made by Senator Abbo said his principal has no hand in the removal of Senator Elisha Abbo who represented Adamawa North in the National Assembly.
His words: “The outcome of any court proceeding is a function of the evaluation of facts and evidence within the province of the rule of law.
“It is uncharitable for Senator Abbo to pour his frustrations on Senator Akpabio or anyone else and his action betrays the bile he has for Senator Akpabio.
“Senator Akpabio for emphasis has no ill-will towards any of his distinguished colleagues and as he has said in the past, the embers of the leadership election have been buried and replaced by the fraternal bond of nation building he shares with the overwhelming majority of senators.”
