Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs,
has asked a group of former senators to pray for him and Jibrin Barau, senator
representing Kano north.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) had nominated Akpabio
and Barau for the positions of senate president and deputy in the incoming 10th
national assembly.
But the party’s decision has stirred controversies as contenders
for the positions have expressed displeasure about the choices.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at a meeting with 76 former
senators – including Ameh Ebute, an ex-senate president – Akpabio expressed
dismay that first-term senators were seeking to be presiding officers.
The former minister said a senator-elect would have to be
sworn in first before aspiring to be a presiding officer.
“When I see people who are coming into the national assembly
and particularly the senate of the federal of Nigeria. Senators-elect for the
first time. Who will swear them in? What you (former senators) have done is to
give direction as elders,” he said.
“That having been in that hallowed chamber, it is important
to give direction. That there will be a senate president first who will swear
in the senators-elect before the senators-elect begins to aspire to the senate
president.
“I want to appeal
that you do not only support us with your endorsement but also support us with
your prayers because what we are seeing out there is as if it is a war but I
also describe it as a storm in a teacup because the senate has it’s own
principle throughout the world.”
Earlier, Basheer Lado, convener of the group and a former
senator representing Kano central, said other candidates seeking to be senate
president should shelve their bids in the interest of “national interests”.
“We therefore respectfully, once again appeal to other
aspirants to step down their ambition in the interest of national unity, peace,
national stability of Nigeria and party cohesion,” he said.
“We believe strongly, senator Akpabio and senator Barau
Jibril at the helm of affairs in the 10th assembly will further compliment the
administration of distinguished senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and senator Kashim
Shettima in delivering good governance and democratic dividends, to all
Nigerians.”
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