Orji Kalu, Izunaso, Umahi, Bamidele, Others Battle For Senate Majority Leader

Senate President: Trouble For Akpabio As Senators, Govs Present Another Candidate

by Victor Ndubuisi
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The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is in disarray once more as party members abandon the party’s zoning plan in favor of a different candidate for the 10th Senate Presidency race.

Godswill Akpabio (South-South) is the preferred candidate for Senate President, while Barau Jibrin (North West) is the preferred candidate for Deputy Senate President, according to a recent announcement by the ruling party.

However, it has come to light that certain members-elect from the North are still promoting another agenda.

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According to Newsmen, Tajudeen Abass (North West) was chosen by the APC leadership as the favored candidate for the role of Speaker in the House of Representatives, while Benjamin Kalu (South East) is expected to win the position of Deputy Speaker in the 10th House of Representatives.

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A Christian from the South should lead the 10th Senate, according to stakeholders in the ruling APC and other political parties, despite the fact that there are still dissenting voices on the topic of micro-zoning. This is because the ruling party chose a Muslim-Muslim ticket for its presidential and vice presidential candidates.

Remember that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the incoming president, and Kashim Shettima, his vice president, are both Muslims.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), the leader of the judicial branch, Justice Kayode Ariwoola, is also a Muslim.

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In spite of the party’s earlier stance and the aforementioned stark facts, a number of former governors from the North and members of the National Assembly from the APC and the opposition are apparently starting a covert campaign for Abdulaziz Yari, the former governor of Zamfara State.

Yari is reportedly a Muslim as well. According to information provided to reporters, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader who served as the National Assembly’s presiding officer is now the leader of the new Northern coalition.

Further information revealed that the former presiding officer is against giving the South the Senate’s presidency. The top politician argued that it was the North’s turn to produce the late Umaru Musa Ya’Adua’s successor in 2011 and opposed President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to run for president.

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He teamed up with Northern forces once more in 2015 to defeat Jonathan. He ran in 2019 but failed to win the seat for his party. Despite the general agreement that authority should be transferred to the South in 2023, he unsuccessfully stood for president.

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The presiding officer and other prominent Northern leaders reportedly approached certain lawmakers, who claimed they were instructed to support Yari and abandon the APC’s zoning policy.

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One of the senators-elect was quoted by Saturday Sun as claiming that Yari has the support of important Northern senators-elect who are planning a replay of 2015, when Bukola Saraki became Senate President against the wishes of his previous party, the APC.

According to a senator-elect who requested anonymity, he was promised the leadership of an A-list committee in exchange for his support.

The returning senator issued a warning, saying that if candidates from the South don’t band together and forge a united front in the coming days, the North will elect a Muslim as the next president of the Senate.

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He claims that one of the arrowheads pushing for a Northern-extracted Senate President in the tenth National Assembly is a key official in the current Senate.

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The South will rebel and oppose any attempt by the North to elect a Muslim as President of the Senate, one of the senators-elect approached by media claimed.

He said Southern senators-elect will meet soon at an elaborate forum where other aspirants will be urged to close ranks and present a single candidate to counter Yari’s “desperate moves.”

Asked if the meeting would involve members of the opposition, he spoke in the affirmative. “Every senator-elect from the South will attend,” he said.

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Speaking further, he noted: “You read a statement released by the leadership of the Northern Elders’ Forum, insisting that no one will force a candidate on the North. That is a preamble of what some of them are planning.

“Those who are expected to speak in favour of having a Christian as President of the Senate, are not talking. That should tell you something. Some people we didn’t expect are the ones leading Yari’s campaign and they’re shameless about it.

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“They’re happy about the division among senators-elect from the South on who to support between Akpabio and others. This is the time for the South to speak up and unite. I’m sure they’ll do that. We’re meeting soon and these issues will be addressed.

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“Although I’m not a member of the APC, I believe Tinubu will not allow it when he becomes President soon. He knows the controversy his ticket generated and if he wants to heal the wounds, he will stop Yari at all cost.

“The most surprising thing is that a former presiding officer is the one trying to convince his colleague to support a Muslim. How greedy can he be? This former presiding officer has always opposed anything that involves the South since 2011.

“I’m also calling on Akpa as well as other contenders from the South to have a frank talk together and resolve this unnecessary contest. We have a country to protect.”

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