Amid internal crises rocking the Nigerian Senate, and the Senate President, President Bola Tinubu has appointed Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to lead Nigerian delegation to the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City.

Akpabio leads Nigerian delegation that comprises Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese; and Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama of the Abuja Diocese to the funeral amid his ongoing struggle with sexual harassment allegations leveled against him by a fellow senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central.

As part of Tinubu’s delegation, Akpabio is expected to formally deliver a letter to the acting head of the Vatican, conveying the president’s condolences.

Pope Francis passed away on Monday, April 21, aged 88. He will be laid to rest on Saturday, April 26.

In a statement released on Friday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced that the Senate President would lead a five-member delegation to the funeral.

Since February, Akpabio has been in the spotlight over sexual harassment allegation against him by Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The female lawmaker submitted a petition before the Senate against Akpabio in March.

Before the allegation, Akpoti-Uduaghan had had a face-off with Akpabio over seating arrangement in the Senate.

The altercation led to the Senate President ordering the sergeant-at-arm to walk the female lawmaker out of the Senate Chamber.

She was subsequently suspended for six months.

The decision sparked public outrage as many Nigerians have since been demanding for a thorough investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against Senate President.

Meanwhile, the Senate President has repeatedly denied the allegation, and the matter is currently in court.

The Presidency has delivered a jab at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, declaring his 2027 presidential ambition and coalition-building efforts “dead on arrival” following the defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other top PDP figures to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In separate posts on X, Presidential aides Bayo Onanuga and Tunde Rahman mocked Atiku’s attempts to rally opposition forces, saying recent developments show his coalition is crumbling before it even takes off.

Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, wrote: “Atiku’s political future looks bleak. The coalition that he, El-Rufai, Babachir, and new member Baba-Ahmed are cobbling together has disintegrated. Potential allies, including former running mate Ifeanyi Okowa and defunct CPC members, are giving his leprous group a wide berth. Atiku is a loser again.”

Tunde Rahman, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, posted earlier in the day: “Things are really getting perilous and the future looks so bleak for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s coalition. After the PDP governors washed their hands clean of any such coalition plan, the defunct CPC wing he is also counting on has proffered support for President Tinubu.

Today (Wednesday), he got his biggest shocker ever. His 2023 election running mate, former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and Okowa’s successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, dumped the sinking PDP ship and hopped aboard the APC plane, and by inference, crossed over to the PBAT side.

Indeed, the counting of PDP governors crossing over to APC has begun. Isn’t Atiku’s coalition dead on arrival?”

The coordinated remarks followed a major political realignment in Delta State, where the governor, his predecessor, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and the entire PDP state structure defected to the APC – an event seen as a significant blow to Atiku, who has been working to form a broad opposition alliance against President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

Okowa was Atiku’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Atiku has yet to respond to the defection or the presidential aides’ comments, though acting national chairman Iliya Damagum earlier described the Delta exit as “unfortunate,” while insisting that the party remains focused and resilient.

Former Governor of Delta State, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential running mate in the 2023 election, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has dumped the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Okowa confirmed the news of his defection to ARISE NEWS on Wednesday following the announcement of the current governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, who also defected from the PDP to the APC on Wednesday.

The development was disclosed by Senator James Manager after a six-hour meeting at Government House, Asaba.

“All PDP members in the state, including the governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, all the local government chairmen and others, have agreed to move to the APC,” Manager stated. “We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat.”

Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr Aniagwu Charles, officially confirmed the sweeping political shift, attributing the decision to the need for renewed direction and enhanced governance in the state.

“There is a need for us to adjust our drinking patterns. And in adjusting that drinking pattern, we needed to make a decision that would further help to cement the development in our state,” he said.

Aniagwu added that the move aimed to sustain progress in law, security, and welfare, likening the PDP to a “palm wine whose taste has changed,” necessitating a change in “drinking party”.

He further indicated that the defection was unanimously agreed upon by key PDP leaders and stakeholders in the state, with a formal public declaration expected on Monday.

“By the grace of God, on Monday next week, we will be able to make a very big statement confirming that we are moving into the APC,” he said.

The mass defection represents a dramatic realignment in Delta State’s political landscape and could significantly alter party dynamics in the broader South-South region, historically a PDP stronghold.

Okowa will be received on Monday by Vice President Kashim Shettima alongside Governor Oborevwori.

AriseNews