Politics

Senate Presidency: APC May Settle For S-South, Tips N-West for Deputy

Published

3 years ago

April 12, 2023

...Senators Akpabio, Barau Favoured – Source

Barring last minute changes, the All Progressives Congress, APC, may zone the positions of Senate President and Deputy Senate President to the South-South and North-West geo-political zones respectively.

Though the party is yet to come up with an official position on the zoning of 10th National Assembly leadership slots, multiple sources and an Aso Rock source, told Vanguard that the South-South zone may get the Senate President’s position.

APC in the majority

The APC has won 57 seats so far, while the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has 27 seats.

Others are Labour Party, LP, six seats; New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, two seats; and Social Democratic Party, SDP, two seats. The Young Progressives Party, YPP, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, have one seat each.

Aspirants

So far, those who have thrown their hats in the ring for the 10th Senate presidency include, serving Senate President, Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North); Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East); Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North); Senator Jibrin Barau (APC Kano North); Senator Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom North-West); Deputy Senate leader, Senator Abdul Ningi (APC, Bauchi Central); and Senator Abdul- Aziz Yari (APC, Zamfara);

Also, there are insinuations that Governor David Umahi (APC, Ebonyi South) and Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North), are interested in becoming senate president.

Also, Senator Ali Ndume from Borno and Senator Osita Izunaso from Imo State have both declared their intentions to run for the office.

Multiple sources told Vanguard that the party is still making consultations across board before settling for competent and trusted persons that will run the affairs of the National Assembly and share in the vision of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.

Akpabio, Jubril tipped

It was further gathered that top party leaders are rooting for Senators Godswill Akpabio and Barau Jubrin from Akwa Ibom and Kano states for the positions of Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively.

The source, who spoke under anonymity, said: “We are not even bothered much about where the speaker would go because the bigger issue has to be sorted out before any other one; and the bigger issue is that of the Senate President.

“Once that is sorted out, others will automatically sort out naturally. Among the contenders we have seen very competent hands and trust worthy persons who share in the vision of the incoming administration.

“Apart from that, we are also looking at state performances as well as party loyalty. Quite honestly, we have been on this matter for weeks and we have been making informal consultations across board, including those outside our party.

“Tentatively, we are likely to present the zoning suggestions in respect of Senate alone, to the president-elect and we will discuss others subsequently.

“If not for some obvious reasons of balancing, North-West, particularly, Senator Barau Jubrin would have been a perfect fit. But we have to bend backwards and appeal to him and the zone to allow the South-South take the shot while we beef up the seat with his (Jubrin) adoption as deputy senate president.

“And it is not a question of guessing who could be. We all know Senator Godswill Akpabio is the only ranking senator that could be considered.”

Tinubu has final approval—SOURCE

Another source, who spoke with Vanguard in confidence, said the choice of who emerges either the Senate President or Speaker of the House of Representatives will be subject to approval by the President-elect, Tinubu.

The source said: “In all we are conceiving, we are still at the realm of suggestions on how to navigate around the issue of leadership in the next National Assembly. Everything will still have to be subject to the thoughts, approval and implementation of the incoming president who is expected back before next week.”

VANGUARD

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Politics

Obasanjo, Atiku, Obi Meet In Abuja

Published

10 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi met in Abuja on Saturday.

The trio were among prominent political figures who attended the Tambuwal Colloquium, titled “Leadership, Service and Statesmanship at 60,” held at the New Event Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, in honour of the 60th birthday of former Sokoto State Governor and Senator, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Atiku confirmed his presence at the event in a post on his X handle, stating that he had arrived at the venue for the colloquium organised to mark Tambuwal’s milestone birthday.

The former vice president also shared images of himself, Obasanjo and Obi at the event.

The event attracted political leaders, statesmen and stakeholders from across the country.

Politics

PANDEF Wades Into Rivers Crisis, Sets Up Seven-member Mediation Team

Published

15 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has intervened in the political crisis in Rivers State, calling on all actors to sheathe their swords and embrace peace in the interest of the development of the state and the region in general.

Expressing concern that the political disagreement involving the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly might degenerate to total lawlessness, the Board and National Executive Committee of PANDEF set up a seven-member reconciliation team to resolve the issues.

The team, which is headed by a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi, has six other members.

They are Senator Obende Domingo (Vice Chairman); Chief Essien Nduese; Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agari; Chief Mike Ejiofor; Mrs Nella Rabana-Andem, SAN; and Prince Godwin Okotie, the Deputy National Secretary of PANDEF, who will serve as the secretary of the team.

Politics

Wike: Why Removing Fubara Will Be Difficult – Ex-Commissioner

Published

2 days ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

A former Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Austin Tam-George, has said that attempts to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara would be difficult to sustain, citing what he described as the governor’s performance record and the lack of concrete allegations against him.

Tam-George made the remarks on Thursday while speaking on Prime Time on Arise Television, arguing that the impeachment process being initiated against Fubara was to scuttle his chance for a second term.

According to him, Governor Fubara has continued to place the needs of the people at the centre of his administration, with visible interventions in rural development, housing, education and healthcare.

He said this, in his view, has made it difficult for opponents to justify moves to remove the governor from office.

Tam-George also called on the All Progressives Congress, APC, to intervene, arguing that the party should not allow what he described as the humiliation of a sitting governor.

He said: “Well, all I think he needs to do is to do exactly what he’s been doing from the beginning, which is to place the people at the center of gravity of his administration, prioritize the needs of the people, so that the people can see the direct impact of government action in their lives.

“And that’s exactly what he’s doing in terms of rural development, in terms of housing sector transformation, which I mentioned that he is doing the same in education sector and in health.

“So if he continues, if he persists in placing the people’s need at the center of focus of his administration, there is no way they are going to be able to justify this kind of shenanigans.

“Because, if you look very carefully at the so called articles of impeachment, you will see that there is no specificity in terms of any infraction by the governor or his deputy.

“What they are trying to do is to make sure they scuttle the administration so that the governor doesn’t then get to the point where he will be seeking a second term.

“Let me be clear, just two days ago, Nyesom Wike was at one of the local governments, and he made it clear in a moment of epiphany, he made it clear that, look, if Governor Fubara were to get a second term in office, it will amount to his own political burial.

“So all of these things that we are seeing the so called impeachment proceedings they’ve initiated, it’s actually an effort to try to scuttle the prospects of the governor coming for a second term, and I don’t see how they will succeed.

“If you look at the so called articles of impeachment, as I said, they lack specificity in terms of the kind of infraction that they allege that the governor has committed. He has done nothing wrong, and they will see how the process will play out.

“My sense, and in fact, if I were to advise the governor, my sense is that he should just maintain the people, retain the people at the center of gravity of his administration, meet their needs, run a transparent administration as he always done, and then the truth will come out, and he will be able to defend the administration.

“I think the the governing APC should also step in because they can’t possibly allow the governor of the office with probably one of the best performance records in the country to be humiliated by some of these members of the assembly.”