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Akpabio, Oshiomhole Call Truce After Senate Rift
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and the Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, have publicly declared an end to the hostilities between them during Thursday’s plenary.
The development followed a brief exchange after Oshiomhole accused Akpabio of repeatedly ignoring him by refusing to recognise him despite raising his hand to speak on a Point of Order.
The Edo North senator also accused the Senate President of failing to provide enough protection for lawmakers who are “vertically challenged”, a euphemism for not being tall.
Akpabio denied deliberately ignoring Oshiomhole. He explained that he had been responding to Senator Onawo Ogoshi of Nasarawa South, who argued that the Senate should not have publicly rebuked Oshiomhole when he raised concerns over the failure of former NNPCL Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, to honour invitations by the Senate Public Accounts Committee.
Relations between both lawmakers have been strained in recent months. Oshiomhole had opposed debates on proposed amendments to the Senate rules on eligibility for the office of Senate President.
More recently, he strongly objected to the presidential nomination of Professor Abayomi Fasina as a non-career ambassador and high commissioner over alleged sexual misconduct.
Akpabio had also taken a swipe at Oshiomhole by referring to a viral video showing the former Edo State governor with a woman in a private jet.
However, during Thursday’s sitting, Akpabio apologised to Oshiomhole and acknowledged that, “Agreement is Agreement,” borrowing a popular phrase associated with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, drawing laughter from lawmakers in the chamber.
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