Godswill Akpabio’s selection as the Senate President of the 10th Assembly was opposed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senators-elect, and the main opposition.
The opposition was responding to the outcome of the All Progressives Congress, APC’s (APC) Friday morning caucus meeting with President-elect Ahmed Bola Tinubu at his residence in Abuja.
After being made public, the eagerly anticipated zoning of the 10th National Assembly’s major officers sparked controversy.
Before being appointed Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Akpabio served as the Peoples Democratic Party’s two-time candidate for governor of Akwa Ibom. He later defected to the current All Progressives Congress.
Kano senator Jibrin Barau is slated to replace Akpabio.
Similar to Tajudeen Abass, Benjamin Kalu from Abia State has been predicted by the APC caucus to succeed him as Speaker of the lower legislative Chamber. Abass is from Kaduna State.
The fact that Senators Barau and Abbas are from the North-West region is seriously causing turbulence within the APC.
Speaking to DAILY POST on the condition of anonymity, a newly elected senator from the South-South who ran on the Peoples Democratic Party platform disclosed that Akpabio is not well liked by the party.
The choice of Akpabio is unacceptable to us, he declared. The APC should pay attention to us because we are the main opposition in the 10th Senate. We do not desire Akpabio.
“I am aware that only three of the 36 PDP senators are supporting Akpabio; these senators-elect are from Rivers State, and governor Nyesom Wike persuaded them to do so.
“He is offering us money, but we reject it because he lacks moral character. If given the opportunity to serve as Senate President, the insider claimed, he will eventually sell out the Senate.
“Recall his actions from 2018–2019. He was given the prestigious title of Minority Leader by the PDP in recognition of his debut in the Senate.
“He left the PDP in the middle of the campaign and joined the APC for no legitimate reason other than his pocket and self-interest. He received a cabinet position as payment. The PDP senator-elect from South-South asserted, “We can’t trust such a person to be the Senate President; he is unstable.
