A combined photo of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Elisha Abbo
By Our Reporter
Senator Elisha Abbo has alleged that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, plotted his removal by the Court of Appeal.
Abbo made this allegation at his residence in Abuja on Monday, hours after the Court of Appeal nullified his election into the Senate.
The Adamawa senator claimed that Akpabio also has plans to remove the former chief whip of the senate, Senator Orji Uzor Jalu and four other senators for not backing his senate presidency bid.
Abbo described the judgment sacking him as a coup on democracy, calling on his supporters despite the ruling to be calm.
The senator insisted that, despite the court declaring the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Amos Yohanna as the winner of the February election, he won the exercise.
According to him, I defeated the PDP candidate with a margin of 11,000 votes.
Recall the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, earlier today, sacked Abbo.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices, vacated the tribunal judgement that earlier affirmed Abbo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the valid winner of the Senatorial seat.
It held that there was merit in an appeal that was lodged by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the election, Amos Yohanna.
Meanwhile Akpabio has dismissed his alleged involvement in the political travail of Senator Abbo.
This was disclosed by Akpabio’s media aide, Eseme Eyiboh. He said “My principal has no hand in the court judgement, which sacked Abbo from the Senate”
“It is unfortunate if he actually said that Akpabio was responsible for his removal. That’s the swan song of a man looking for scapegoats.
“The Court of Appeal across the country decides cases based on the provisions of the Electoral Act and evidence advanced by petitioners. The Senate President has no reason to witch-hunt any of his colleagues.”
It would be recalled that the Adamawa North senator was among the lawmakers, who campaigned and worked for Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Akpabio’s main challenger for Senate presidency.