There are strong indications that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has concluded plans to install the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio and Jibrin Barau as the Senate President and deputy respectively.
Credible sources revealed to Daily Trust that the president-elect, communicated his decision to Akpabio and Barau during a meeting held in Abuja.
On Tuesday, Tinubu met with Akpabio, Barau, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti) and the Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji.
A Good Start
Some of the sources say some mambers of the caucus, on Tuesday, asked Barau to drop his bid for the Senate presidency.
This is in the interest of national cohesion, fairness and religious balancing.
“The president-elect told Barau that he was extremely qualified for the job but that he should drop his ambition for the emergence of a Christian to enable his administration to commence on a good footing.
“He said; since he (Tinubu) and Senator Kashim Shettima (the vice president-elect) were Muslims, the right thing to do would be to support a Christian.
“It was after the pleas that the president-elect told Barau that he would want him to work with Akpabio as deputy Senate president.”
The Pair
Similarly, there was another revelation from another source, who is a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The source says the president-elect has contacted Akpabio and Barau on his decision to pair them for the Senate presidency.
The APC NWC member who pleaded anonymity said “I was not there when the meeting was held, but two people who attended it have told me of the decision by Asiwaju.
“It is a fact that he has settled for Akpabio and Barau for the Senate president and deputy.”
However, when Akpabio was contacted on the issue, yesterday, he gave a simple response.
“I don’t know.”
Meanwhile, Barau could not be reached last night.
The Contenders
Akpabio and Barau are among the nine contenders for the Senate presidency of the 10th assembly, expected to be inaugurated on June 13.
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The president-elect would meet other contenders for the Senate presidency to formally inform them of the decision on Akpabio and Barau soon.
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After that, Tinubu would also meet all the senators-elect, who are members of the APC, in furtherance of the consultation.
