The Senate has initiated a probe following reports alleging that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have taken control of the National Assembly to ensure the impeachment of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Denying these claims, Akpabio has instructed Senator Shehu Kaka of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to lead a Senate committee to investigate the matter and present findings within the next twenty-four hours.
He stated, “Sen. Kaka, investigate and report back to us as soon as practicable.”
This inquiry comes in response to media reports describing the National Assembly as resembling a “warzone” due to the supposed presence of DSS personnel amidst speculation of an impeachment threat against Akpabio.
Sources indicate that some aggrieved Northern Senators, reportedly dissatisfied with President Bola Tinubu, are allegedly reviving an earlier attempt to oust Akpabio from his position.
During Wednesday’s plenary, Akpabio refuted the claims of a DSS invasion, emphasizing that the chamber was operating peacefully despite the rumors circulating on social media. He remarked,
“It has just been brought to my attention by one of us that there is fake news trending on social media that the DSS has surrounded the National Assembly with possible impeachment of principal officers.”
He criticized the misinformation, stating, “There is no limit to social media. We are here sitting down and doing our work very peacefully oblivious of the mischief that is going on behind us…I hope the public is aware that this is fake news and that the chamber is very stable and the issue of impeachment does not come in.”
In light of the ongoing controversy, Akpabio has tasked the Senate Committee on Special Duties to investigate and provide a report within a 24-hour timeframe.