In a major development, 62 out of 109 elected senators have endorsed Barau Jibrin, from Kano State, for the position of Senate President in a last-minute move ahead of the 10th Senate leadership and inauguration. This news of the endorsement was disclosed by an anonymous senator from the Northwest and a close friend of Jibrin after an emergency meeting Tuesday in Abuja.
The senator explained that 62 Senators Elect have so far endorsed Senator Jibrin, and 46 of them were physically present at the all-night meeting held at the Transcorp Hotel.
A key objective of the meeting was to mobilize other Senators Elect to support Senator Jibrin in establishing himself as the 10th Senate President by working together.
The Lawmakers-elect were against Akpabio’s nomination as Senate president.
Governor Soludo Threatens To Cut Salaries Of Workers Who Obey IPOB’s Sit-At-Home Order
We know that Tinubu’s preference for Akpabio was only to carry the Christians in Nigeria along, and not necessarily because of his competence or contribution to the success of the party.
Unfortunately, Akpabio would not be able to pilot the parliament’s affairs, lawmakers said.
We shall resist any attempt to anoint him or any aspirant on us, we are not children, therefore capable of sorting ourselves to ensure that the Senate presidency goes to a competent and qualified Senator preferably from the Northwest and not the South, given the contributions of the zone to the victory of Tinubu during the February presidential election, the North has contributed over 63 per cent of the votes that drove Tinubu to victory, said the senator-elect.
We chose Jibrin because of his competence and unblemished record. He is also the highest-ranking, longest-serving legislator in the Senate, and the most qualified to be the 10th Senate President.
In the 109-seat Senate, the APC has 59 senators, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 36; Labour Party (LP) eight, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) two, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) two, the Young Progressives Party (YPP), and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) one seat each.
To win the Senate presidency, a simple majority of votes is required when the parliament is inaugurated in June after the transmission of a letter of proclamation by the president to the Clerk of the National Assembly.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.
