APC caucus appears to have agreed to coronate Godswill Akpabio as next senate president

FORMER Akwa Ibom State governor Senator Godswill Akpabio and Hon Abbas Tajudeen may have been confirmed as the next senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives after a meeting to decide the matter was held yesterday.

With Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from the southwest elected as president and Senator Kashim Shettima from the northeast elected as vice president, the race for the senate president is open to candidates from all of the other four geo-political zones. Ranking senators from the northwest, south-south, southeast and north central geo-political zones are already positioning themselves for the coveted position, three months before elections are due.

Among those who have already thrown their hats into the ring for the senate presidency include Senators Abdul’Aziz Yari if Zamfara State, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State,  Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State and Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State. Yesterday, president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu met with the national working committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to decide on how to resolve the matter.

Apparently, at the meeting which took place at Defence House in Abuja, Asiwaju Tinubu told party leaders of his preference for Senator Akpabio as the 10th senate president with Senator Jibrin Barau serving as his deputy. Senator Akpabio represents Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, while Senator Barau represents the Kano North Senatorial District.

Also, the meeting is said to have reached a compromise on the next speaker of the House of Representatives, with Hon Abbas Tajudeen giving the nod to preside over the 10th House. Hon Tajudeen, 59, represents the Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State and is currently the is the chairman of the House Committee for Land Transport.

One APC source said: “It is true Asiwaju met with Adamu, Omisore, Kyari and Eneukwu on Friday. They have agreed that Akpabio will be the next senate president while Jibrin will be his deputy, while TJ Abbas Tajudeen will be the next speaker.”

He  added that the north central geo-political zone would be compensated with the position of secretary to the government of the federation. APC chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu had hinted that the ruling party would agree on a consensus in the zoning of the leadership positions of the next National Assembly.