- “He came to my hotel room at 2 AM… Later, $10,000 was being distributed.” —Abbo on alleged bribes
A damning indictment of Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s leadership emerged as suspended Senator Ishaku Abbo accused him of wielding power like a “personal empire.” Abbo disclosed Akpabio’s alleged midnight lobbying and cash inducements during the Senate presidency election, where he rejected $10,000 meant to sway his support from Abdulaziz Yari. “I refused to take any money,” he emphasized, painting a picture of systemic coercion under Akpabio’s reign.
The senator spotlighted punitive actions against dissenters, including himself and former Chief Whip Ali Ndume, who lost positions after challenging Akpabio’s governance. Abbo particularly criticized the Senate President’s unilateral amendment of standing rules to install pliable first-termers as leaders—a move he branded as power consolidation. “He rewrote the rules just to control them,” Abbo charged, alleging a culture of subservience where senators “serve [Akpabio] tea” at his home.
Despite his removal, Abbo framed his outcry as institutional defense, stating, “The issue is the leadership, not the Senate itself.” His claims have reignited debates about accountability in Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber.
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