Following his removal as Senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial District on Monday by the Abuja Appeal Court, Elisha Abbo alleged that it’s a power play and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has a hand in it.
Abbo who was at his Abuja residence the day he was sacked, told journalists that a reliable source told him how Akpabio had planned his removal and other four senators, including Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
Abbo claimed Akpabio wants them removed because they never supported his senate presidency bid in June.
He said;
“I have it from a reliable source and a very highly placed one for that matter, that myself and four other senators within the fold of the ruling All Progressives Congress would be removed from the Senate through rulings from the courts, all because of working against emergence of Akpabio as President of the 10th Senate.
“I won’t mention the names of all the four other ones targeted but the next in line is Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
“At my level, I can’t afford to be flippant and I don’t speculate. At my level, I cannot speculate. What I am telling you is authentic.
“A very highly placed Nigerian citizen told me that five of us were slated for removal. I would be going and Orji Uzor Kalu would follow me and we would all go. That is a fact.”
The appellate court nullified Abbo of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and declared Amos Yohanna, of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner of the February 25 senatorial election in Adamawa State.
This was after Yohanna filed a petition at the tribunal sitting in Yola, challenging Abbo’s victory, arguing that Abbo did not score the majority of lawful votes cast.
He contended that the poll was marred by irregularities; false entries, alteration, and cancellation of votes at several polling units, etc.
After his removal, Abbo boasted that if not for what Akpabio did, it was impossible for his PDP rival to win him because he already had a victory margin of 11,000 votes because of his popularity.
Accepting the court ruling, he however assured his supporters that he would return in 2027, thus they should remain calm.
His statement reads;
“The court judgment is strange and the judiciary needs to please remain the last hope of the common man.
“For President Bola Tinubu, I must declare that this is not the democracy he fought for and should please lead in protecting it.”
Meanwhile, Akpabio’s spokesman, Eseme Eyiboh has said Akpabio has nothing to do with Abbo’s sack.
Read also: Senator Ndume, Others Slam Akpabio: ‘History will Judge you for Passing Hasty Bills’
In a statement made earlier, Eseme said;
“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.”