After the long drawn battle for the leadership of tha 10th National Assembly, the lot has fallen on Senator Godswill Akpabio who emerged as the 10th President of the Senate after defeating Senator Abdulaziz Yari, and Tajudeen Abbas who was elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The two, the favorites of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu faced stiff opposition as some lawmakers were not in support of the party dictating to the legislators who should be their leader.
Akpabio, a former Senator Minority Leader polled 63 votes to defeat Yari, a former governor of Zamfara, who scored 46 votes.
The lawmakers-elect had earlier commenced voting on the floor of the Nigerian Senate, in the build-up to the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.
Senator Ali Ndume nominated Senator Godswill Akpabi, after reading the biography of the former Akwa Ibom governor.
Akpabio’s nomination was seconded by Senator Olamilekan Solomon Yayi from Ogun state.
Similarly, Senator Ishaku Abbo nominated Senator Abdul Aziz Yari as Senate President.
On their part, 353 out of the 359 members of the House of Representatives that participated in the election voted for Tajudeen Abbas.
A significant majority of the members-elect “openly declared” their votes for Abbas.