Senator Adams Oshiomhole has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of viewing him as a threat, alleging that Akpabio would have excluded him from the Senate if given the chance. Oshiomhole made the remarks during a Mic on Podcast interview aired on Sunday, where he claimed Akpabio operates with paranoia toward him and believes he is "the devil he knows." He stated that Akpabio is unaware of other influential figures within the Senate, adding that the 11th Senate would differ significantly from the 10th. Oshiomhole noted that several senators have expressed quiet dissatisfaction with Akpabio's leadership style, describing it as overbearing and centralised. The tension between the two former governors, both now serving as senators, began during rule amendments in the Senate ahead of the 2027 political cycle. It later erupted into a public confrontation on the Senate floor when the chamber revised Orders 4 and 5, procedural guidelines that govern legislative operations. Oshiomhole did not specify how the new Senate would diverge from the previous one but insisted the dynamics had shifted. No official response from Akpabio was included in the source material. The situation remains ongoing within the Senate chamber with no indication of reconciliation.
Akpabio's alleged attempt to isolate Oshiomhole reveals a leadership style built on exclusion rather than consensus. The claim that multiple senators are silently unhappy suggests internal fractures within the Senate are widening. If unchecked, such divisions could disrupt legislative progress in the lead-up to 2027. Oshiomhole's warning that the 11th Senate will not mirror the 10th signals a looming power contest among top legislators.
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