Sen. Abbo recants, apologises, says allegations against Akpabio were false

The sacked senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, Elisha Abbo, has apologised to Senate President Godswill Akpabio over allegations that the number three man plotted his removal by the Court of Appeal.

The Appeal Court in Abuja had, on Monday, October 16, nullified the election of Abbo and declared Amos Yohanna, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner of the February 25 senatorial election in the state.

The infuriated Abbo who reacted to his sack by the court, blamed the Senate President, alleging that Akpabio orchestrated his removal because he did not support his emergence as Senate President.

He also accused Akpabio of being responsible for the unfavourable court judgment against him.

Abbo alleged that he had it on good authority that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu was 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.

Read also: Court of Appeal sacks Sen Elisha Abbo, declares PDP’s Kumai as winner

“I won’t mention the names of all the four other ones targeted but the next in line is Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.”

The accusation prompted Akpabio to respond that he had no hand in Abbo’s removal by the court.

In a statement by his media aide, Eseme Eyibio on Tuesday, Akpabio said it was unfortunate and uncharitable for Abbo to accuse him falsely.

“It is uncharitable for Senator Abbo to pour his frustrations on Senator Akpabio or anyone else and his action betrays the bile he has for Senator Akpabio.

“Senator Akpabio for emphasis has no ill will towards any of his distinguished colleagues and as he has said in the past, the embers of the leadership election have been buried and replaced by the fraternal bond of nation-building he shares with the overwhelming majority of senators,” he said.

But in a turn around, Abbo tendered an apology to Akpabio while speaking in an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday.

In the interview, Abbo said he had discovered that Akpabio had no hand in his removal.

“I have to say with all sense of humility and responsibility that the press release we issued yesterday was premature and based on the available information at our disposal,” Abbo said.

“As of today, we have discovered a lot of things, and yesterday night, I had a discussion with the Senate President, and I am convinced that he is not involved.”

Abbo said to prove his innocence, Akpabio had to swear on his late mother’s grave that he was not involved in the Adamawa senator’s removal.

Quoting Akpabio, Abbo said the former Akwa Ibom Governor said:

“I swear by my mother’s grave that I’m not involved; I don’t even know that you’re in court.”

Continuing with the interview, Abbo said:

“For a number three citizen to come up to tell me that he has sworn on his mother’s grave, a woman that he loves so much, a woman who brought him up after he lost his father at the age of six, I don’t see a reason why he would lie.”

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