Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The bitter rivalry between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Adams Oshiomhole erupted into public view on Sunday, with the former Edo State governor accusing the Senate President of harbouring an “unfounded bias” against him and warning that the 11th Senate would not be like the current 10th. In a wide‑ranging interview on the “Mic On” podcast with Seun Okinbaloye, Oshiomhole described Akpabio as “paranoid about anything that has to do with me” and claimed that if the Senate President 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.”
Oshiomhole reminded Akpabio of his credentials, stating that he was a founding governor of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and served as Deputy Director‑General of the Bola Tinubu Campaign Council that secured the party’s victory in the 2023 presidential election. “Don’t forget that I was a founding governor of the APC and Deputy DG of Bola Tinubu Campaign Council that gave us victory. I’m not saying I am responsible for the victory, but I worked for it, and I’m happy we got it,” he said. He then pivoted to a sharper critique, alleging that Akpabio had become so consumed by his perceived rivalry that he could no longer distinguish between political allies and enemies. “There are many angels he doesn’t know,” Oshiomhole added.
The Edo North senator also predicted that the leadership arrangement in the 11th Senate would differ significantly from the current one, citing growing discontent among lawmakers. “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,” Oshiomhole declared, warning that Akpabio’s authority was not absolute and that his position as “first among equals” could be challenged if the political arithmetic shifted. “Remember, if Senator Yari had got the majority, he could have become the Senate President,” he said.
The public clash follows a week of high drama in the Senate. On June 11, the upper chamber formally distanced itself from comments Oshiomhole made during a Public Accounts Committee hearing, in which he described the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) as “a bunch of criminals and thieves.” Oshiomhole has since alleged that Akpabio is shielding the NNPCL and its former CEO, Mele Kyari, because of a conflict of interest, claiming Kyari gave Akpabio’s daughter a job without due process. The Senate President’s office had not issued an official response to the fresh allegations as of Monday, June 15, 2026.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com ✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments