Breaking News : Akpabio emerges Senate President, defeats Yari

 

Senator Godswill Akpabio has emerged the 10th President of the Senate after defeating Senator Abdulaziz Yari

Akpabio, a former Senator Minority Leader polled 63 votes to defeat Yari, a former governor of Zamfara, who scored 46 votes.

The lawmakers-elect had earlier commenced voting on the floor of the Nigerian Senate, in the build-up to the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.

Also, the senator-elect representing Kano South senatorial district, Jibrin Barau, has emerged as the Deputy Senate President.

Barau was nominated by the former Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, and seconded by the lawmaker representing Kwara North, Saliu Mustapha.

Barau accepted the nomination and emerged as the Deputy Senate President of the 10th Assembly unopposed. Having emerged unopposed, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Magaji Tambuwal, declared Barau as the Deputy Senate President.

Barau had thrown his hat in the ring for the Senate President but after a meeting with the president, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the Kano lawmaker withdrew and took the position of the Deputy Senate President.

The position was keenly contested at the initial stages with lawmakers Sani Musa and Orji Kalu expressing interest in the seat.

However, upon Barau’s choice as the favoured candidate, Musa withdrew from the race but refused to camp with the Akpabio/Barau ticket while Kalu continued in the race till Monday evening when the governors and lawmakers from the South-East met with the Akpabio, Barau and the president.