Arise Television anchor Rufai Oseni has explained why Senate President Godswill Akpabio reportedly rejected being addressed as Nigeria’s acting president while President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were outside the country.
Oseni said Akpabio’s decision to distance himself from the title raised questions about whether the National Assembly would assert its constitutional powers as an arm of government.
He made the remarks on Monday while discussing the implications of Tinubu’s prolonged absence from Nigeria.
Oseni argued that Nigerians should not expect the National Assembly to mount a strong challenge against the executive, pointing to its previous endorsement of the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
He questioned whether Akpabio could effectively lead the legislature in challenging the executive, stressing that the National Assembly was constitutionally designed to function as a co-equal arm of government.
He said, “So, if you think that this National Assembly will speak up and fight for you. It’s either you’re delusional, or you don’t read the news.
“You’re talking about the National Assembly standing up to challenge the president. Is it not the same National Assembly that endorsed a state of emergency to settle a political squabble in a state, Rivers State in the country?
“A political godfather and godson were fighting, the president looked first the option, state of emergency, and it should be on record. The same National Assembly endorsed it. How did they endorse it? Voice votes.”
Oseni also referred to Akpabio’s public comments distancing himself from the acting president title while Tinubu and Shettima were outside Nigeria.
According to the broadcaster, some political associates of the Senate President had begun referring to him as acting president, prompting Akpabio to publicly clarify his position.
He said, “Is it Mr. Akpabio that was busy going about to even exonerate himself to say ‘I’m not the acting president. Don’t call me acting president.’
“This was because while President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima were away, some of the political surrogates of Akpabio were already calling him acting president.
“So he needed to exonerate himself, and you know what that means.
“He was already causing problems. The top echelon, they had already started looking at acting presidents. So he had to quickly clarify that.”
Oseni further questioned whether Akpabio could lead the National Assembly in asserting its constitutional independence while simultaneously distancing himself from the acting presidency controversy.
He said the legislature was expected to operate independently of the executive under the principle of separation of powers.
“So you think it is that same man that will effectively lead a co-equal arm of government?
“You see, we forget that they are supposed to be a co-equal arm of government.
“I’m sure people that wrote about these things, the Montesquieus of this world that wrote about the separation of power, they will turn in their grave when they see the way it’s being done in Nigeria,” Oseni said.