“Step by Step” — Oshiomhole Reacts to Claims He Wants Akpabio’s Senate President Seat

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has dismissed speculations linking him to a possible move for the office of Senate President, insisting that his immediate focus is securing another term in the National Assembly.

The former Edo State governor spoke on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he reacted to growing claims that he could be positioning himself to replace Senate President Godswill Akpabio in the future.

Oshiomhole said discussions about the Senate presidency were premature, noting that his current mandate as senator representing Edo North would soon expire. According to him, it would be wrong to assume victory ahead of the next election cycle.

The lawmaker stated that he had only just begun the process of seeking another term and could not afford to overlook the democratic process or the decision of his constituents.

“When? Have I been elected yet?” Oshiomhole asked during the interview.

Drawing a comparison to family life, the senator said his parents taught him never to pray for a child before marriage, stressing that political ambition should follow due process and not personal assumptions.

He explained that his present tenure would end with the current legislative session in June and revealed that he had already applied for re-election and successfully gone through screening ahead of the party primaries.

According to him, the next immediate hurdle is winning the primary election before even thinking about the general election, let alone aspiring to lead the Senate.

“So my current tenure will end at the end of this session, on June 12 or 13. Now I have applied for renewal, and I can’t take the people of Edo North for granted,” he said.

Oshiomhole added that only people who ignore the fear of God or overestimate their personal strength begin to project themselves into offices they have not yet earned.

“I think we should take it step by step,” he stated. “Right now my current mandate is about to expire, and I’m working hard to get a renewal of that mandate. I will not join in playing God.”

Although there has been no official indication that Akpabio’s position is under threat, several names have surfaced in recent weeks as possible contenders should there be changes in the Senate leadership arrangement after the next elections.

Oshiomhole, however, made it clear that he is not prepared to be drawn into such conversations for now, maintaining that his priority remains retaining the confidence of voters in Edo North.