Adamawa North senator Elisha Abbo has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of being involved in the ruling of the appeal court that led to his removal from office.
The All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Abbo’s election was declared void by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
Abbo was declared the winner of the February 25, 2023 parliamentary election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but Amos Yohanna, an opposition from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenged the outcome in court.
In its ruling, the tribunal rejected Yohanna’s plea on the grounds that it lacked merit.
The PDP candidate sought the Appeal Court through his attorney Johnson Usman (SAN).
The Court of Appeal, after hearing arguments from parties, agreed with Usman that based on Section 137 of the Electoral Act, 2022, the results tendered clearly showed that there was no compliance with the Electoral Act.
The court, thereafter, deducted the invalid votes from the parties and found that Yohanna and PDP won the election by majority of lawful votes.
The three-member panel presided over by Justice C.E. Nwosu-Iheme, in a judgement, ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to Yohanna as validly elected lawmaker for the senatorial district.
Reacting to the court’s ruling, Abbo said four other senators who worked against the emergence of Akpabio as Senate President had been targeted for removal from the Red Chamber through the court.
In an interview with reporters on Monday in Abuja, Abbo specifically mentioned Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC Abia North) as the next target for removal from the Senate.
“I have it from a reliable source that myself and four other senators within the fold of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will be removed from the Senate through rulings from the courts, all because of working against the emergence of Akpabio as President of the 10th Senate.
“I won’t mention the names of all the four other ones targeted but the next in line is Senator Orji Uzor Kalu,” he said.
He wondered how with over 11,000 votes margin of victory he had above his closest river, Yohanna Amos Yohanna of the Peoples Democratic Party in the election, the Appeal Court upturned his victory.
“The court judgement is strange and the judiciary needs to please remain the last hope of the common man,” Abbo said.
He promised to recontest in 2027, but he urged his supporters to maintain their cool.
Efforts to get the reaction of Akpabio to Senator Abbo’s allegation were unsuccessful.
Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, the special adviser for media and publicity for Akpabio, did not pick calls made to his phone.
Ada Peter
