It’s Victory For Tinubu, APC As Akpabio Wins Senate Presidency

• Sen Barau emerges Deputy President unopposed 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday made it a clean sweep with their preferred candidate, Senator Godswill Akpabio emerging as the President of the Nigerian Senate.

In a keenly contested election for the 10th National Assembly leadership, Senator Akpabio representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District polled a total of 63 votes to defeat his only challenger, Senator Abdul Aziz Yari from Zamfara North West who got 46 votes to his credit.

Akpabio, a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Senator Minority Leader was nominated to contest the nation’s number three seat by Senator Ali Ndume (APC) representing Borno South district while Senator Yari, a former Governor of Zamfara State was nominated by Senator Elisha Abbo from Adamawa North district.

Before the voting process commenced for the upper legislative chamber leadership, there was a rowdy session with protestations over nomination of Senator Yari.

With tempers eventually calming down, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Tambuwal, flagged off proceedings for the election of the Senate presiding officers before 9 a.m as against the earlier announced time of 10 a.m.

After casting their votes in alphabetical order, both candidates nominated two representatives of each to monitor their votes’ count

Senators Ndume and Adeola Solomon represented Senator Akpabio, while Abbo and the senator-elect representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Jimoh Ibrahim, stood in as Senator Yari’s representatives.

Also, the lawmakers-elect also unanimously elected Senator-elect Senator Jibrin Barau, representing Kano North Senatorial District as the Deputy Senate President.

It was a no contest for Senator Barau who mounted the seat unopposed. The former Governor of Ebonyi State and Senator-elect, David Umahi endorsed his nomination and seconded by Senator Salisu Mustapha.

The Kano Senator was the immediate past Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations in the 9th National Assembly and also Chairman of Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND in the 8th Senate.

Meanwhile, the election process was still ongoing at the House of Representatives with the lawmakers-elect taking turns to publicly vote for their preferred candidate for the Speakership position through voice announcement.

The three horse race has the APC preferred candidate, Hon. Tajudeen Abass, the immediate past Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Idris Wase and Hon. Aminu Jaji on the ballot.

In adopting the open ballot system, members rose to announce to the electoral officer and the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, Barrister Kamura Ogunlana the candidate of their choice by voice.