Akpabio Is Paranoid About Me, Oshiomhole Claims
Senator Adams Oshiomhole has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of harbouring a bias against him, claiming the Senate leader is paranoid about his activities and influence within the chamber.
Oshiomhole, representing Edo North on the All Progressives Congress platform, made the allegation during the Sunday edition of the Mic On Podcast. He suggested that Akpabio would exclude him from Senate proceedings if given the opportunity.
The remarks come against the backdrop of recent tensions in the 10th Senate, including a May 2026 clash over amendments to the Senate Standing Orders. Those changes introduced stricter eligibility rules for presiding and principal offices in the incoming 11th Senate, requiring at least two consecutive terms. Oshiomhole opposed the amendments on the floor, leading to a heated exchange with Akpabio.
Oshiomhole, who served as governor of Edo State from 2008 to 2016 and later as National Chairman of the APC from 2018 to 2020, described his contributions to the party and to President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 victory. He noted his role in the opposition merger that formed the APC in 2013 and his active campaigning for Tinubu.
He said the Senate President’s attitude was widely known among colleagues. “He is so paranoid about anything that has to do with me. Everybody in the Senate knows that if Senator Akpabio had his way, he would lock me out of the Senate because he has misled himself into thinking that I am probably the devil he knows. There are many angels he doesn’t know,” Oshiomhole stated.
The lawmaker added that he could not explain the source of the bias despite his party record. He described himself as a fulfilled person focused on serving his constituents and assured Akpabio of his commitment to any assigned role.
Oshiomhole predicted a different leadership arrangement in the 11th Senate, which will be inaugurated after the 2027 elections. “The 11th Senate will not be like the 10th, this I can say. It can’t be. Senators are grumbling about his style of leadership,” he said.
He linked the Senate President’s discomfort to interactions with colleagues, citing an incident involving Senator Abdulaziz Yari. According to Oshiomhole, Akpabio once joked that Yari’s interest in the vice-chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Interior was tied to a plan to remove him from office.
The remarks recall the 2023 contest for Senate President, in which Akpabio defeated Yari with 63 votes to 46 in the inaugural session of the 10th Senate. Oshiomhole emphasised that the position belongs to the senators’ collective choice. “If you understand the way the Senate works, the Senate President is first among equals. Only the persons favoured by the senators are elected. Remember, if Senator Yari had got the majority, he could have become the Senate President. It is not about what anybody wishes. It is about who the senators want,” he said.
The exchange highlights ongoing internal dynamics in the 10th Senate as lawmakers prepare for the transition to the 11th Assembly. With the APC holding 59 of the 109 Senate seats following the 2023 elections, leadership contests have historically involved negotiations and occasional public friction. The recent rules amendment has intensified debate over eligibility and power distribution ahead of 2027.
Oshiomhole maintained that the Senate President remains accountable to fellow senators. The comments follow earlier Senate proceedings in which Oshiomhole raised points on standing rules and other matters, underscoring persistent differences in approach to legislative management.