South-West Lawmakers Clash Over Akpabio’s Senate Presidency Ambition

Lawmakers elected into the 10th Senate from the South-West have distanced themselves from the Senate Presidential ambition of Godswill Akpabio.

A senator-elect who spoke with Daily Sun on condition of anonymity said Akpabio’s ambition is driven by three Senators from the South-West

The source identified the lawmakers as Tokunbo Abiru, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) and Opeyemi Bamidele.

The senator-elect said the three lawmakers are mounting pressure on the president-elect, Bola Tinubu to consider Akpabio as the consensus candidate.

The source said, “They told the president-elect Tuesday night that all of us from the South West are supporting Akpabio for Senate President, but the president-elect discovered it was untrue on Wednesday morning.

“As South Westerners, we have a good relationship with all Nigerians and these three senators cannot speak for us. They are not our leaders and cannot take South West senators for granted. Our leader is a former governor who is also a senator.

“For us, we have resolved to do the right thing for the country since it’s the only way Asiwaju (president-elect) can succeed as President. We have chosen to support fairness and justice as this country is built on a tripod- Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.

“What an Igbo man can do for the country and Asiwaju cannot be compared to what an Annan man, not even Ibibio can do for Nigeria and Asiwaju. If you exclude Igbo in the three positions in the country, you may be pushing your luck too far.

“We are happy that the president-elect did not listen to them because he is not petty. He likes fairness and he wants to do the right thing. The twelve senators from the South West already have a preferred candidate. We have eleven senators and one ranking senator who have endorsed Senator Orji Uzor Kalu for President and Senator Sani Musa for Deputy Senate President.

“The Northern senators and Southern senators believe in the leadership of these two senators and there is no going back. The good news is that Asiwaju has a strong character and will stand firm on his personal convictions.”

Another senator-elect who distanced himself from the three lawmakers supporting Akpabio said they are only prosecuting the job they were paid to do.

He said, “Those three are just pursuing their personal interests. Akpabio promised Yayi the Chairman of the Appropriation committee and also promised the other two juicy committees.

“So it’s basically about their interests not for Tinubu’s success or unity of Nigeria. Is the opinion of three senators greater than the opinion of 12 senators? We have endorsed Senator Kalu and Senator Musa as our preferred presiding officers and we shall deliver them on June 13.”

Others eyeing the 10th Senate presidency include Jibrin Barau (APC Kano North), Chief Whip of the 9th Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu and Abdul- Aziz Yari (APC, Zamfara).

There are claims that Governor David Umahi (APC, Ebonyi South) and Mr Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North), who would be first-time legislators are interested in becoming senate president.