A group, National Grassroots Movement (NGM), has raised the alarm over the alleged plot to remove Godswill Akpabio as Senate President.
The plot, according to the NGM, was a calculated move to destabilise the National Assembly and undermine President Bola Tinubu ‘s administration ahead of the 2027 election.
In a statement by the Hon. Tunde Felix, National Coordinator and Alhaji Musa Mustapha, National Publicity Secretary, the group fingered a prominent senator from the South south as the mastermind of the plot.
According to the NGM, the South south senator intends to take over as Senate President, alleging his desperation to cause confusion in the National Assembly.
The statement reads in parts: “The National Grassroots Movement raises the alarm over credible political maneuvers pointing to a well-coordinated scheme by a bloc of Northern senators to remove the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for selfish and destabilizing purposes.
‘This scheme is not motivated by principle, reform, or legislative conscience, but by desperation—a calculated power grab fueled by wounded pride and the pursuit of political relevance, aimed at installing a prominent Senator from the Southsouth as Senate President through orchestrated alliances and sectional maneuvering.
“The National Grassroots Movement views this as a dangerous escalation by the Senator, who has lost political confidence within the Presidency and is now seeking relevance by turning the National Assembly into a theatre of distraction—intended to slow, frustrate, and weaken the reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
“Senator Godswill Akpabio has provided steady and nationally balanced leadership to the 10th National Assembly, refusing to turn the Senate into an opposition arena. His collaborative approach with the Executive has been crucial in stabilizing governance at a time when Nigeria requires discipline, unity, and decisive action”.
The statement further reads: “While leadership changes in the National Assembly are constitutionally permissible, deliberately engineering such changes through premeditated alliances, sectional calculations, or personal vendettas—rather than genuine national interest and broad consensus—raises serious concerns about motive and its impact on legislative stability.
“The National Grassroots Movement condemns any attempt to weaponize ethnicity, region, or numerical strength to seize Senate leadership. The National Assembly must not become a battleground for personal scores or fading political influence.
“The Movement therefore warns, unequivocally, that Nigerians are watching. Party members are alert. Any effort to create crisis for narrow ambition will be resisted politically, exposed publicly, and rejected morally.
“The Senator must be reminded that the APC is not a vehicle for personal vendettas, nor is the National Assembly a tool to destabilize a government elected by Nigerians. Loyalty to the party, respect for institutions, and commitment to national stability must take precedence over personal ambition.
“The National Grassroots Movement calls on all party members, patriotic Nigerians, and democratic stakeholders to remain vigilant, reject manipulation, and defend institutional integrity. Sectional ambition must not override national interest, and anyone attempting to sabotage the Tinubu administration or destabilize the Senate will be held accountable
‘The National Grassroots Movement stands resolutely with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, and the Tinubu administration, and will mobilize politically and intellectually to defend legislative stability, party unity, and democratic order”.
