Akpabio: I wasn’t part of Saraki’s senate — it funded only 40% of constituency projects

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says he was not part of the red chamber led by Bukola Saraki, though he was the minority leader at the time.

Saraki presided over the eighth session of the senate between 2015 and 2019.

Akpabio, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), held the position until he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the eve of the 2019 elections.

Reacting to a comment by Ali Ndume, chief whip of the red chamber, on Wednesday, Akpabio said he was a member of the “Nigerian senate”.

Ndume was contributing to a debate on a motion sponsored by Emmanuel Udende, senator representing Benue north-west, on the deteriorating security situation in his  senatorial district.

The senate chief whip said there was a need to implement previous recommendations of the red chamber.

Referring to Akpabio, Ndume said, “You were part of Saraki’s senate as a minority leader.”

In response, Akpabio said: “I was part of the Nigerian senate, not Saraki senate.”

Ndume insisted: “Some say this is Akpabio’s senate.”

Akpabio replied, saying: “This is the Nigerian senate. If you say I was part of Saraki’s senate, it means I was part of those who paid 40 percent of the constituency project, and 60 percent has not been paid up till today.

“I don’t want to be part of that.”