Senate reacts to alleged feud between Akpabio, Bamidele

The Senate has debunked reports suggesting that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Opeyemi Bamidele, senate leader, clashed during a recent executive session.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday, July 27, issued by Yemi Adaramodu, chairman of the senate committee on Media and Public Affairs, saying the reports are false and misrepresented the workings of the upper legislative chamber.

Famousreporters.com reports that, recently, an unanticipated, intense tension broke out on the evening of Wednesday, July 23, as an argument ensued between the Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio and Opeyemi Bamidele which virtually resulted in fisticuffs.

According to reports, tension erupted during an executive session to deliberate on whether to adjourn the current legislative sitting this week or next week for the Senate’s traditional recess, two-month annual recess.

This is even as the Senate Leader Bamidele publicly voiced his displeasure with Senate President Akpabio’s leadership style.

“I am frustrated as Senate Leader working under Senate President Akpabio,” Bamidele reportedly said in the heated session. “He does not call leadership meetings; he doesn’t consult with anyone. He is autocratic. In fact, I am contemplating resigning as Senate Leader.”

Akpabio, visibly angered by Bamidele’s remarks, fired back sharply.

“Senator Opeyemi should sit down! He cannot speak while I am speaking. I am in charge here,” Akpabio reportedly yelled. “I have served as Commissioner, two-term Governor, Senate Minority Leader, and a powerful Minister. I know the Senate rules and leadership more than you.”

Those were the altercations that transpired between the Senators as reported across various Media.

However, reacting to the incident which spread across the internet like a wildfire, the Senate wrote:

“Our attention has been drawn to diverse media reports claiming that president of the Senate, His Excellency Godswill Akpabio, and leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, clashed during an executive session recently convened to deliberate whether the Senate should proceed on annual recess,” Adaramodu said.

“The reports do not contain any iota of truth. In entirety, they misconstrue time-tested practices and traditions in the parliament worldwide, where members, regardless of their political leanings, leverage the instruments of parliamentary debates, questions or interpellations to discuss every initiative decisively and eclectically before approval or authorisation.”

Continuing, he explained that, like every other legislature, the Nigerian senate subjects every proposal, bill, and motion to intense scrutiny and robust debate in the chamber.

“Whether in the chamber or committee room, debates on policy issues should not be misconstrued as altercations among members, neither do they suggest any crack in the rank of the leadership,” he said.

He stressed that cogitations in parliament are geared towards ensuring that all actions taken are in favour of the over 230 million Nigerians.