Akpabio leads Senate Presidency race as over 65 Senators ink support

Former Akwa Ibom State governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio, might have gained considerable edge in his bid to become the 10th senate president, following his alliance with another aspirant, Senator Barau Jibrin, as his prospective deputy, if he emerged senate president.

To give weight and meaning to this bid, over 65 senators were said to have aligned with the Akpabio/Jibrin alliance and had allegedly declared their support for them, after signing off their commitment as proof they were in.

But a former governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is said to be waiting in the wings, even though he’s a first time senator. He is said to be relying on the constitution of the country, which describes all senators as equal and can aspire to any office.

At the same time, another former governor, but of Abia State, Orji Kalu, has refused to stand down from the race, riding on the political morality that, for balancing and fairness, the office of the senate president should be conceded to the South East, a decision that would comfortably place him in a vantage position in the race.

However, as the jostling for the office of the 10th senate president gathers momentum, Akpabio has begun to leverage relationship and advantage as a former governor and senator to gain edge over other contenders to the office of the senate president.

The former Minority Leader of the senate, even as a first timer, is said to have in his camp at the time of filing this report, about 65 senators, who were said to have signed off their commitment, after declaring support for his ambition.

The senators, comprising new and old members, were believed to have lined up behind Akpabio, because of the need to balance the north/south dichotomy as well as faith at the top echelon in the power equation, since the incoming president, Bola Tinubu, and his deputy, Kashim Shettima, are Muslims.

Yet, with Barau, the senator representing Kano north in alliance with Akpabio, for the office of the Deputy Senate President, the conclusion that the tide might have begun to tilt in their favour, is arguably not unfounded and fast changing the game.

This, nonetheless, Oshiomhole has refused to give up on his aspiration, even though he has been quiet and discreet about it, hoping that things would soon get to a head and the current cards would be reshuffled to his advantage.