Akpabio is next senate president – Ganduje

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has said a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, is the next Senate President. Ganduje said the decision to nominate Akpabio was already sealed. However, he failed to explain if it was a decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership. The governor spoke during a meeting […]

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has said a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, is the next Senate President.

Ganduje said the decision to nominate Akpabio was already sealed.

However, he failed to explain if it was a decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership.

The governor spoke during a meeting with his Cross River counterpart, Ben Ayade, in Calabar.

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“The Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will come from the South South and it is no other person than the former governor of Akwa Ibom.

“The uncommon governor, the uncommon minister who is going to be the uncommon president of the senate. So we have resolved that.

“I am giving you assurance, we are waiting for the D-Day that he will be the Senate President of Nigeria,” he said.

Daily Trust had exclusively reported that President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu had concluded plans to pair Akpabio with Senator Jibrin Barau (APC Kano) as Senate president and deputy respectively.

Akpabio and Barau are among the nine contenders for the Senate presidency of the 10th assembly, expected to be inaugurated on June 13.

Credible sources told this paper that the president-elect communicated his decision to Akpabio and Barau during a meeting held in Abuja.

The former Lagos State governor had met with Akpabio, Barau, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti) and the Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji.

Sources said during the meeting, which they said was at the instance of the president-elect, Barau was asked to drop his bid for the Senate presidency in the interest of national cohesion, fairness and religious balancing.

A lawmaker from the South said Barau was prevailed upon to sacrifice his ambition in the interest of peace and tranquility in the country.