The Senate And Banana Peel
Banana peels were words that were frequently used in the Senate during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007.
The words were used particularly to describe the scheming that took place at the National Assembly at that time.
The banana peels were obstacles or temptations placed before the Senate Presidents to make them fall. Though trumped up by President Obasanjo to get rid of Senate Presidents who failed to act according to his bidding.
Several Senate Presidents tripped and fell after unknowingly stepping on those banana peels.
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The first victim was Late Sen. Chuba Okadigbo after he was removed from office as Senate President over alleged contract inflation and profligate spending warned his successor, Anyim Pius Anyim, to beware of the proverbial banana peels around the office of the Senate President.
Though Senator Okadigbo appealed against the corruption allegations and was exonerated.
Sen. Adolphus Wabara also fell after stepping on the banana peels following the Federal Ministry of Education bribery scandal.
Sen. David Mark served two terms as Senate President from 2007 to 2015 making him the longest-serving Senate President since 1999.
His aides attributed his ”survival” at a time when the impeachment of Senate Presidents was the order of the day to honesty, accountability, and transparency.
A lot of banana peels were also dropped for the then Senate President Bukola Saraki, following his emergence as Senate President against the wish of his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) but he was able to overcome the obstacles.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio is in the eye of the storm following allegations of sexual harassment brought against him by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP Kogi Central).
However, the Senate has suspended Sen. Natasha over the allegations after it’s Committee on Ethics and Privileges dismissed her petition as unfounded.
Observers are beginning to see the issues as another banana peel or obstacle before the Senate President that may consume him.
Sen. Natasha taking the issue before the Inter-Parliamentary Union and also approaching the court is an escalation of the issue.
However, On Thursday, Senators overwhelmingly passed a vote of confidence on Senate President Godswill Akpabio despite the allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
This followed a motion brought before it by the Senate Leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele. This action of the Senate shows that he still enjoys the support of his colleagues and stands a chance of surviving.
