President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finalised plans to pair the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, with Senator Jibrin Barau as Senate president and deputy respectively.
According to Daily Trust, the President-elect recently returned to the country after a 34-day trip abroad and reportedly informed Akpabio and Barau of his decision during a meeting held in Abuja.
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On Tuesday, the ex-governor of Lagos State held a meeting with Senator Akpabio, Senator Barau, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti), and the governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji.
According to sources, a meeting was held at the request of the president-elect, during which Barau was reportedly urged to withdraw his candidature for the Senate presidency. The reasons given for this request were to promote national unity, fairness, and religious balance.
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According to a Southern lawmaker, Barau was urged to withdraw his candidature in order to promote peace and stability in the nation.
According to sources, he was allegedly advised to abandon his goal of having a Christian individual elected as the next Senate president.
The president-elect allegedly advised Barau to withdraw his candidature in order to pave the way for the appointment of a Christian candidate, thereby ensuring a smooth start to his administration. The president-elect reportedly acknowledged Barau’s qualifications for the position but emphasised the importance of religious balance in his appointments.
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According to him, as both Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima are Muslims, it would be appropriate to endorse a Christian candidate.
According to an anonymous senator, the president-elect expressed his desire for Barau to work alongside Akpabio as deputy Senate president following their pleas.
According to a source who is a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the president-elect has reached out to Akpabio and Barau to inform them of his choice to pair them for the Senate presidency. This information is supported by another source.
According to two individuals who were present at the meeting, Asiwaju made a decision. Although I was not in attendance, these sources have relayed this information to me. According to the source, it has been confirmed that he has chosen Akpabio and Barau as the Senate president and deputy.
According to a source who is an ally of Tinubu from the Northern region, it has been revealed that Tinubu has a preference for Akpabio. Efforts to reach him yesterday for comments on the nomination of the former Akwa Ibom governor by his associate proved futile.
When reached for comment yesterday, Akpabio responded with a brief statement, stating “I don’t know.” Attempts to reach Barau last night were unsuccessful.
According to a report by Daily Trust, nine senators, including Akpabio and Barau, have thrown their hats into the ring for the Senate presidency. The other senators vying for the position are Orji Uzor Kalu, Abdul-Aziz Yari, Sani Musa, Ali Ndume, Osita Izunaso, Dave Umahi, and Adams Oshiomhole.
Attempts to obtain comments from Senators Kalu, Ndume, and Musa were unsuccessful as they could not be reached via phone. Last night, a report alleging that Tinubu had given his endorsement to Kalu for the Senate presidency gained widespread attention on social media.
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is set to make a decision on the fate of Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Kabiru Marafa Barau, as well as other contenders for various positions in the party.
According to sources, the president-elect is expected to hold a meeting with other candidates for the Senate presidency to officially communicate the decision regarding Akpabio and Barau in the near future. In furtherance of his consultation, Tinubu is scheduled to meet with all the APC senators-elect.
During a meeting held on Wednesday, attended by the president-elect, the vice president-elect, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, and the APC leadership led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, it was decided that Tinubu would lead the efforts to identify and select the leadership of the National Assembly.
According to a report by Daily Trust, the current composition of the Nigerian Senate, which has a total of 109 seats, shows that the All Progressives Congress (APC) holds the majority with 59 senators. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) follows with 36 senators, while the Labour Party (LP) has eight. The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) each have two senators, and the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) each have one senator.
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, Akpabio and Barau will need a simple majority of votes to secure the two positions.
A former governor has expressed the opinion that North should not play second fiddle to any other region.
The president-elect’s decision to choose Akpabio for religious balancing has been criticised by an influential former governor.
During an interview, the former governor expressed his opinion that while he believes there is a need for sacrifice, he also believes that the North should not be relegated to a secondary position in order to appease those who have made minimal contributions.
In a recent statement, the speaker emphasised the importance of equal sacrifice across all regions. “If the concept of sacrifice exists, it should be applied universally,” he stated.
Following their decision to prioritise national unity and peace over their own presidential aspirations, it appears that some individuals are now seeking to relegate us to a lesser position. The situation is unacceptable and action must be taken. The first sacrifice has been made. It is suggested that other regions follow suit. According to the former governor, it is now time for other zones to make sacrifices since the North has already given Tinubu the party ticket and the winning votes.
When asked about the president-elect’s consultation with Senator Barau, he responded with the question, “Who instructed Barau to take it?” The individual in question is a legislator hailing from Kano State, located in the northern region of Nigeria. The candidate hails from the northern region and appears to rely on input from others when making decisions. The situation is beyond his comprehension.
The team is standing firm in their decision to not let go of their position, despite pressure to do so. According to sources, while Asiwaju is undoubtedly a key stakeholder, there are those who paid the ultimate price for his presidential victory, particularly in the Northern region.
Discussions are currently underway regarding the selection of a new speaker and deputy speaker.
Consultations for the speaker and deputy positions in the House of Representatives remain ongoing.
As the race for the speaker’s position heats up, ten lawmakers-elect have thrown their hats into the ring. Among the contenders are Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase from Plateau, Mukhtar Betara from Borno, and Abubakar Makki Yelleman from Jigawa. Other hopefuls include Yusuf Gagdi from Plateau, Sada Soli Jibia from Katsina, Abdulraheem Olawuyi from Kwara, Abbas Tajudeen from Kaduna, Aminu Sani Jaji from Zamfara, Benjamin Kalu from Abia, and Mariam Odinaka Onuoha
The House of Representatives, which comprises 360 members, has been dominated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) with a total of 175 seats. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) follows with 118 seats, while the Labour Party has 35 seats. The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has 19 seats, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has five seats, and both the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) have two seats each. The YPP party currently holds one seat, while three seats are still awaiting allocation.
According to sources within the Green Chamber, a final decision regarding the positions of the speaker and deputy speaker has not yet been made, likely due to the composition of the chamber.
In a recent meeting with APC governors, the individual expressed the importance of working together towards a common goal of achieving a successful leadership in the National Assembly.
Former Lagos State Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Bola Tinubu, held a meeting with APC governors who paid him a courtesy visit on Tuesday. During the meeting, Tinubu encouraged the governors to collaborate with the party leadership and lawmakers in selecting principal officers for the National Assembly.
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In a statement, the president-elect expressed gratitude to God Almighty for their electoral victory. The situation was characterised by difficulty and turbulence. The task at hand involves collaborating harmoniously with the party leadership and the National Assembly in the selection of their key officials. The speaker urged the audience to come together in a shared sense of purpose and belief, and collaborate in accordance with the party’s agenda.
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has reportedly asserted his party’s dominance over the government, telling governors and former governorship candidates that “whether you return or not, this is our government.” According to the elected leader, success in overcoming the challenge lies in having a clear understanding of their objectives and effective communication among party members.
The leader emphasised once again that their primary responsibility, as elected officials, is to serve the people and promote fairness and justice for all.
In an emotional statement, the newly elected president expressed gratitude to God for his victory. He highlighted that he is the first Muslim minority from the South-West to be elected president and credited his success to the blessing of Allah.
The Governor of Kebbi State and Chairman of the Progressive Governors, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, recently visited the residence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, along with his fellow governors.
A number of high-profile political figures were present at the event, including Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima and several state governors such as Simon Lalong of Plateau, Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna, Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina, Hope Uzodinnma of Imo, Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Babajide Sanwo-olu of Lagos, Ben Ayade of CrossRivers, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq of Kwara, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti.
In attendance at the event were the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Kelechi Igwe, and the APC governorship candidate in Kano State, Alhaji Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna.
As per Governor Bagudu, his visit was solely to extend congratulations to Tinubu on his recent triumph.
In accordance to his statement, the governors have expressed their readiness to undertake any task assigned to them by the President-elect.
