Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday denied ever being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a statement that runs counter to his documented political career spanning over a decade on the party's platform. The denial came during a plenary session while the Senate debated a motion to honour the late former Kogi State governor, Ibrahim Idris.
The claim was made in response to remarks by Senator Jibrin Isah, representing Kogi East, who noted that the late Idris had been a PDP member and reminded Akpabio that both had belonged to the same party.
Senator's Remark Prompts Akpabio's Response
Senator Isah, while presenting the motion, stated: "The late Ibrahim Idris was a member of the PDP; I was there while you were there too, all of us were there." Isah also highlighted that Idris governed Kogi State from May 29, 2003, to January 27, 2012, making him the longest-serving governor in the state's history.
Rather than acknowledge the reference, Akpabio interjected and dismissed the suggestion outright. "I was never in PDP. My spirit might be there, but my heart was never there. I have always been a progressive," he told the Senate, as reported by TheCable.
Public Record Contradicts Akpabio's Denial
The remark drew attention because the public record tells a different story. Akpabio served as governor of Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2015 under the PDP banner and chaired the party's Governors' Forum during that period. He also won a Senate seat in 2015 on the PDP platform and served as Senate Minority Leader between 2015 and 2018, before crossing over to the All Progressives Congress (APC) that same year.
The exchange unfolded as the Senate deliberated on how to commemorate Idris, who led Kogi State for nearly nine years and remains the longest-serving governor in the state's history. Senator Isah's remarks about the former governor's PDP membership were intended as context, but they unexpectedly drew Akpabio into a public contradiction of his own political past.
Akpabio's Senate Leadership Under Scrutiny
Legit.ng has previously reported on controversies surrounding Akpabio's leadership of the Senate, including the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and his falling out with several colleagues ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Akpabio dismissed calls for President Bola Tinubu to hand over power to Vice President Kashim Shettima during his working vacation abroad. Akpabio spoke on Tuesday, September 22, in Akwa Ibom State while commissioning road projects and addressed concerns over the President's three-week holiday, recently extended by one week. The Presidency had not provided a formal return date for President Tinubu as at the time Akpabio made his remarks.
