- By Femi Alabi
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele on Tuesday accused a member of the senate, Abdul Ningi, of seeking to launch a civilian coup using the platform of the Northern Senators’ Forum.
Bamidele, who however said at the beginning of his contribution he was speaking as member representing Ekiti Central District and not as the Senate Leader, also added that he was also speaking as a Southerner since Ningi had chosen to approach a national issue with a sectional sentiment.
“What Senator Ningi, whom I respect so much, sought to do was a civilian coup using the platform of the Northern Senators forum who have however distanced themselves from his allegation,” Bamidele said.
The senator had said all talks about apology by Ningi and Samaila Kawu were unacceptable adding that what they sought to do was to pitch the North against the South.
“What Ningi wanted to do was tantamount to a civilian coup which has failed.
“The attempt to take the leadership of this Senate beyond June 13 must stop. Over 60 senators voted for Akpabio, and about 40 voted against him. “But after that, Akpabio stood and said let’s work together as senators. This is a defining moment for us to have a stable Senate.
“It’s not about North or South but about the image of the Senate.
“Mr Senate President, the few people who will not give you more than one year are doing everything to remove you before June.”
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Bamidele, who appeared very angry said that since Akpabio emerged as the senate president, some elements in the chamber had been working against him adding that they intend to see Akpabio removed.
Bamidele held that all that was happening centred on the antics of people who wanted Akpabio impeached as the President of the Senate.
He pointed out that it is always when the South as a region is occupying the position that issues like this are always coming up, citing the example of when the Senate had 5 presidents in quick succession.
“We must all put aside what happened before the election, what happened before June 13 2023 must stop. Let us work together as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, after the election of June 13 2023, a few have refused to do this and that is why it is always about Akpabio, never about the Senate, never about the House of Representatives, never about the office of the Director General of Budget, all of us passed this budget, never about Mr President who signed this budget.
“It is always about Akpabio, we have a momentum, this is a defining moment for all of us to say let us have a functioning Senate, not about north and south, it is about our rules and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is about our people who are hungry and deprived.
“Mr President make no mistake about it, some people think they will do everything not to make you sit on that seat for more than one year. I want Nigeria to know this, this is for the record. the last time the people of South-South which you represents had a chance to be Senate President was 40 years ago, the entire time the people of the South had a chance to be Senate President was during Obasanjo regime.
“When it went to the southeast, five people were elected, because they were Impeached in quick succession, as it left the south, we had peace, David Mark spent 8 years, Ahmad lawal spent peaceful 4 years, Saraki even with all he did spent 4 years, he was not impeached.
“It is about Akpabio, it is about the South, you can now understand why Senator Ningi will want to use the name of the Northern forum even when most of them did not agree to this, this is an opportunity for us to follow our rules, if by tomorrow the wisdom of the elders of this Senate prevails and they think we should do otherwise, good, let’s have a close door session, we must do the right thing to today.
Bamidele held that there is no need for accepting the apology of Ningi as it was not done in good faith said, “We did not start this fight, Senator Ningi took this to the public domain, standing up to apologize here after you repeated that some people got 100 billion from this budget, some 60 billion what apology are you expecting, let us do the right thing.
“I am saying it as part of the leadership of this Senate, I am not bothered, just as this is going on now, it is trending that every Senator got 500 million. My appeal to Nigerians is that, I am not going to deny anything, but I am appealing that we have 12 months to implement 2024 budgets and let us see whether there is any of these Senators who will not bring enough, boreholes, solar street lights, road constructions and other projects that will not be up to 500 million Naira”