NIGERIA — Godswill Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, has been elected as the new Senate President of the 10th Assembly. The All Progressives Congress (APC) had earlier endorsed Akpabio as its preferred candidate. The election began unexpectedly ahead of schedule with Akpabio going against Abdulazeez Yari, the former governor of Zamfara State.
After a quick recess, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Tambuwal, declared Akpabio as the winner of the Senate Presidency race. Akpabio had garnered 63 votes, while Yari had 46 votes. However, the process was not without controversy. Prior to the voting, some senators had protested against Yari's candidacy, citing his ineligibility as a first-time senator.
The election began earlier than the announced time of 10 a.m. After the Clerk called for nominations, Senator-elect Ali Ndume nominated Akpabio for the position of Senate President. Meanwhile, Elisha Abbo nominated Yari. The lawmakers cast their votes in alphabetical order, and two representatives from each team counted the votes.
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