Nigerian senators have elected a new senate president at the 10th National Assembly inauguration.
The former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio has emerged as the 10th National Assembly Senate President.
Barau Jibrin was elected unopposed as the Deputy Senate President on Tuesday.
Barau was nominated by Senator -elects Dave Umahi and Salihu Mustapha
DAILY GIST reports that Akpabio, who is the anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress, defeated Abdulaziz Yari to succeed Ahmed Lawan.
He was declared the winner of the election into the Senate Presidency on Tuesday,
Senators-elect on Tuesday overwhelmingly voted for Akpabio on the floor of the Senate.
Sorting of votes was still going on, when it was clear he had won majority of the votes of his colleagues.
The voting which was done by secret ballot began after the roll call of senators-elect by the Clerk
Nominations were received on Tuesday at the inauguration for Senator Abdul’aziz Yari and Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu from Abia State dropped his bid for the Senate presidency and formed an alliance with Yari to contest for the deputy Senate president’s position.
The camps of Akpabio and Yari had claimed to have secured the support of a majority of senators to win the Senate presidency.
DAILY GIST reported that President Bola Tinubu and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had endorsed Akpabio as the consensus candidate for Senate President of the 10th NASS.
Akpabio, who served in the administration of Muhammadu Buhari as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs decamped from the PDP after serving as Governor for 8 years and Senate Minority Leader.
Total number of votes cast 109
Abdulaziz Yari – 46 votes
Goodwill Akpabio – 63 votes
