Akpabio Sworn In As Senate President
Senate Godswill Akpabio has been sworn in as the President of the Senate for the 10th National Assembly.
The former Akwa Ibom governor was returned elected as President of the 10th Senate after
The former Akwa Ibom governor was returned elected as President of the 10th Senate after scoring 63 votes, to defeat his closest rival Senator Aziz Yari who pulled 46 votes.
Earlier, voting commenced at the Red Chamber in Abuja, Nigeria.
Voting began at exactly 08:45 am on Tuesday on a state-by-state basis, alphabetically, and ended at exactly 09:15 am.
Akpabio was sworn in at exactly 09:44 am. He succeeded Ahmad Lawan as Senate President.
Akpabio was the anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the seat of number 3 citizen but was challenged by Senator Abdulaziz Yari from Zamfara North West, who is also of the APC.
Some APC members had entreated Yari to drop his ambition to make it a smooth sail for Akpabio but the former governor vowed to fight to the finish.
He was the anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the seat of number 3 citizen but was challenged by Senator Abdulaziz Yari from Zamfara North West, who is also of the APC.
Earlier, Senator Ali Ndume from Borno South, nominated Akpabio while Senator-elect Elisha Abbo from Adamawa North nominated Yari.
Scores of APC hopefuls rejected the party’s position and called for a review of the formula to cover the North Central geopolitical zone and not two positions for the North-West but the party chieftains continue to argue that the North-West gave the President the highest vote and therefore deserves to be compensated.
Many APC lawmakers had indicated interest in emerging as the next Senate President but some of the aspirants stepped down for either Akpabio or Yari who are now in the race to become the next Senate President after Ahmad Lawan.
