BREAKING: Godswill Akpabio Elected Senate President

A former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has emerged as the Senate President of the 10th Assembly.

Akpabio, who is the preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was paired with the senator representing Kano South, Jibrin Barau, who emerged as the Deputy Senate President.

After a quick recess, the Clerk declared Akpabio as the Senate President having garnered 63 votes leaving his rival, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari with 46 votes.

The Red Chamber began voting at exactly 08:45 am on Tuesday on a state-by-state basis, alphabetically.

While the voting ended at exactly 09:15 am, Akpabio was sworn in at exactly 09:44 am.

After nominations were received for Senator Abdul’aziz Yari and Senator Godswill Akpabio, the clerk of the senate declared nominations closed in the absence of further nominations.

The contest was between Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, and Akpabio, also a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.

Akpabio succeeded Ahmad Lawan as Senate President.

Akpabio and Yari are top-ranking chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The former Zamfara governor had before now protested the endorsement of the former minister by the party and asked that the endorsement be reviewed but the APC did not shift ground.

The party also anointed Barau Jibrin from the North-West for the office of the Deputy Senate President.

In other news, Kanyi Daily reported that to enable students to have access to loans at interest-free rates, President Bola Tinubu on Monday, signed Student Loan Bill into law.

Presidential spokesman, Dele Alake disclosed this to State House Correspondents on Monday evening.