‘No more hostilities’ – Akpabio apologises as Oshiomhole recalls ‘massaging woman’s legs’ jibe

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has jokingly accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of breaching their truce after the latter made a reference to a previous controversy involving the former Edo State governor.

The exchange occurred during plenary on Thursday after Akpabio made a remark linked to an earlier viral video that purportedly showed Oshiomhole massaging the legs of a South African woman on a private jet.

Oshiomhole had dismissed the video as artificial intelligence-generated and had previously been the subject of light-hearted comments from Akpabio over the incident.

Raising a point of order, Oshiomhole told the Senate that both lawmakers had agreed to stop making jokes about past controversies, accusing Akpabio of breaking the agreement.

“I want to report to this house that the Senate President and I, we signed a truce of no more hostilities. And the Senate President breached the truce by reverting to a previous matter with a view to behaving like…” Oshiomhole said amid laughter from lawmakers.

He added, “So I told Mr Senate President, the truce is signed. You should not violate, I will not violate.

“You are my brother. You are my brother. You are my leader. You are my president. So that is all I want to say.”

Oshiomhole, however, said he would not pursue the matter further, adding that he was withdrawing his proposed action.

“I am not going to read the order I am doing. Order 72, I hereby drop it. Just to say, sir, protect vertically challenged people in the Senate. Thank you, sir,” he added.

Responding, Akpabio apologised to Oshiomhole, saying he did not intend to offend him with his comment.

“Let me, first of all, apologise to distinguished Senator Oshiomhole. If whatever I said could have in any way injured him or inferred to offend him,” Akpabio said.

The Senate President explained that his comment was in response to another senator’s reference to an earlier debate over the cancellation of a proposed warrant of arrest.

“I was responding to Senator Ogochi when he referred to the issue that we cancelled the proposed warrant of arrest. Which at that time, distinguished Senator Oshiomhole said we should bring the man dead or alive,” he said.

Akpabio acknowledged the agreement between them, saying, “Sorry, we have a truce. No more hostilities. Agreement is agreement.”

He assured Oshiomhole that he would avoid further references to past controversies, adding that he would continue to protect all lawmakers.

“I will never refer to the unsenatorial comment of bringing the man dead or alive. But I want to assure you that this chair will protect everyone, every single senator,” Akpabio said.

The Senate President described Oshiomhole as his brother, friend and colleague, noting their previous relationship as governors.

“I hold him in very high esteem. And I assure you that agreement is agreement,” he said.

Akpabio ended the exchange with another joke, saying he would not behave like countries that break agreements shortly after signing them.

“I will not behave like America and Iran. When they have an agreement today and two days later they will bomb each other,” he said, drawing laughter from the chamber. (Punch)