In a highly anticipated showdown, former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, has been elected as the Senate President of the 10th Assembly. The fiercely contested voting process commenced with Akpabio and former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator-elect Abdulazeez Yari, going head-to-head for the prestigious position.
Following a brief recess, Sani Tambuwal, the esteemed Clerk of the National Assembly, made the announcement, declaring Akpabio as the Senate President. Akpabio secured an impressive 63 votes, leaving his rival with a respectable count of 46 votes.
The selection process began with the Clerk of the National Assembly calling for nominations. Ali Ndume, the senator-elect for Borno South, put forth the name of Godswill Akpabio, the senator-elect for Akwa Ibom North-East, as a contender for the position of Senate President. Akpabio graciously accepted the nomination. However, Elisha Abbo, the senator-elect for Adamawa North, nominated Abdulaziz Yari, the senator-elect for Zamfara West.
Tensions rose among the senators when it was argued that Yari, as a first-time senator, should not have been permitted to stand for the position. This prompted protests from the other senators who questioned the eligibility of Yari’s candidacy.
