Akpabio, Senate Leader Bamidele Allegedly Clash Over Leadership Style
Reports of a physical altercation between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele have emerged, allegedly stemming from a disagreement over leadership decisions.
According to investigative journalist Jackson Ude, the fight took place on Tuesday at the Senate Cafeteria.
Eyewitnesses claimed the two leaders held each other by the neck while exchanging blows, prompting Senator Sani Bello of Niger State to intervene and prevent the situation from escalating further.
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Root of the Dispute
Insiders suggest the clash highlights growing divisions within the Senate over Akpabio’s leadership. Specifically, Bamidele is said to have been angered by Akpabio’s decision to appoint a Northerner as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream), a position he reportedly felt should have gone to the South West caucus.
Bamidele is also reportedly accusing Akpabio of favoring his allies and ignoring regional balance in the distribution of committee appointments and other key roles.
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Fallout
Both Akpabio and Bamidele were notably absent from the Senate plenary session on Wednesday following the alleged incident.
Reaction
The development has sparked debate on social media, with many calling for transparency and unity in the Senate. Jackson Ude, a U.S.-based Nigerian investigative journalist and former media aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, broke the news via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, drawing widespread attention to the matter.
Efforts to reach the Senate leadership for comment were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
