10th NASS Leadership, decision of the party binding on all members -Akpabio
The Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs,Godswill Akpabio has expressed confidence that with the NWC and the President -Elect endorsement, he is poised to lead the 10th National Assembly come rain come shine.
He averred that, with the ratification of his selection and others by the Party on Monday, the coast is clear for him as the decision is binding on all Senators-Elect across political divide due to the supremacy creed of the ruling APC.
It would be recall that the rulling All Progressive Congress (APC) came out with a formula where it zoned the various offices as follows; Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President, Jubril Barau, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu which is binding on all loyal Party members.
On how to resolve the opposition to his candidature both within and outside his Party, the former Senate Minority Leader said that when the National Assembly will be inaugurated on 13,June 2023, Bola Ahmed Tinubu would have been sworn in as President and the fear of incurring the wraith of the President will compel all lawmakers to vote for him.
But a competent source who is very conversant with the issue said that , Akpabio’s position is at variance to what the National Publicity Secretary has said: “The nomination of Akpabio and Abbas is not obligatory,”
Speaking at the sidelines of the ongoing induction programme for the incoming National Assembly members, the awaiting 10th NASS Senator revealed that Akpabio charged his loyalists present at the gathering to go about their normal duties as the Senators would act in accordance with the directive of the Party in due course.
The Senator noted that while responding to questions raised during the meeting, Akpabio claimed that the aggrieved Senators were merely seeking for compensation having lost out of the yet to be conducted Parliamentary leadership elections.
Revealing details of the meeting the Senator said;
“Akpabio is confident of becoming the next Senate President, though some of us have expressed concerns about the rejection and protest , but he has told us not to worry.
“Those Tinubu asked to lead his campaign in the persons of Senator Ndume and Governor Umahi have not been welcomed by some aggrieved APC Senators elect, except some from the South West and expectedly the South South.
“Our major problem now is how to convince Senators from the North and South East to key into our agenda. To be honest, selling Akpabio hasn’t been easy but we thank our dear President Elect and party for their endorsement if not, it would have been very difficult for us.
Apart from that Akpabio has assured us all that the Senators have no choice than to vote for him based on the orders of Tinubu and the Party, we hope that it shall come to pass.
Despite his nomination by the ruling party, opposition has continued to mount over the choice of Akpabio and other candidates enlisted by the Party in their zoning arrangement.
With records of betrayals, humongous corruption cases and his maladministration in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Akpabio appears not in the good books of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, caucus in the National Assembly, including both the outgoing 9th Assembly and the incoming 10th Assembly. As a result, entreaties from the former governor of Akwa Ibom to sell his candidacy is not yielding the expected result.
Additionally, Senators-elect across the North-Central , South-East , North West and North East geopolitical zones from different political parties, have rejected outrightly the zoning formula for the 10th National Assembly leadership positions announced by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
