A former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has emerged as the President of the Nigerian Senate.
The former minister of Niger Delta Affairs defeated his opponent and former governor of Zamfara State, Senate Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, in the votes casted by Senators-elect in the ongoing inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.
Akpabio, who is the preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress, was paired with the senator representing Kano South, Jibrin Barau, who emerged as the Deputy Senate President.
While the former governor of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari, is running as the Chief Whip of the ninth Senate, Orji Kalu, is running as deputy.
Against the announced time of 10 a.m., the election started before 9 a.m.
Sani Tambuwal, the Clerk of the National Assembly, is in the Senate Chamber and is presiding over the session. The clerk has called for nominations.
The senator-elect for Borno South, Ali Ndume, nominated Godswill Akpabio, senator-elect for Akwa Ibom North-East, as president of the Senate. Akpabio accepted the nomination. While Elisha Abbo, senator-elect for Adamawa North, nominated Abdulaziz Yari, senator-elect for Zamfara West.
The senators protested that Yari was not allowed to stand for the position as a first-time senator.
After the lawmakers cast their votes in alphabetical order, two representatives of each team came to count their votes.
Senators Adeola Solomon and Ndume came out to represent Senator Akpabio, while Abbo and the senator-elect representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Jimoh Ibrahim, represented Senator Yari.
(Additional report by The PUNCH)
