President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu has concluded plans to pair the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, with Senator Jibrin Barau as Senate president and deputy respectively, Daily Trust has exclusively gathered.
Akpabio and Barau are among the nine contenders for the Senate presidency of the 10th assembly, expected to be inaugurated on June 13.
Credible sources told this paper that the president-elect, who returned to the country on Monday after 34 days abroad, communicated his decision to Akpabio and Barau during a meeting held in Abuja.
The former Lagos State governor had on Tuesday met with Akpabio, Barau, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti) and the Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji.
Sources said during the meeting, which they said was at the instance of the president-elect, Barau was asked to drop his bid for the Senate presidency in the interest of national cohesion, fairness and religious balancing.
A lawmaker from the South said Barau was prevailed upon to sacrifice his ambition in the interest of peace and tranquility in the country.
“He was told to drop his ambition for the emergence of a Christian as the president of the next Senate.
“The president-elect told Barau that he is 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) are Muslims, the right thing to do is 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 senator said, pleading not to be named.
Corroborating this, another source, a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), told this paper that the president-elect has contacted Akpabio and Barau on his decision to pair them for the Senate presidency.
“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,” he said.
An ally of Tinubu from the North had previously told our correspondent of the preference of Tinubu for Akpabio. However, he was not reachable yesterday when attempts were made to speak with him on the nomination of the former Akwa Ibom governor by his associate.
Green Chamber, it was gathered that a final decision has not been taken on the speaker and deputy speaker’s positions.
Meets APC govs, says let’s work together on NASS leadership
Meanwhile, Tinubu met with the APC governors who paid him a courtesy visit yesterday and urged them to work with the party leadership and lawmakers on the election of principal officers of the National Assembly.
The president-elect said, “We thank God Almighty for our electoral victory. It was tough and turbulent. The challenge before us is working in unison with the party leadership and the National Assembly over the election of their principal officers. And I charge you to unite in spirit and faith and work in line with the party,” he said.
Tinubu told the governors and former governorship candidates of the party that “whether you return or not, this is our government. Once we know what we are doing and communicating as elected leaders and loyal party men, we will conquer the challenge.”
He reiterated his earlier admonitions that, as leaders, they were elected to serve the people and humanity with fairness and justice.
Sounding emotional, he expressed gratitude to God that he, “the first Muslim minority from the South-West got the blessing of Allah to be elected president.”
The Chairman of the Progressive Governors who is also the governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, led his colleagues to Tinubu’s residence.
Among those in attendance were Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima and Governors Simon Lalong (Plateau), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), Hope Uzodinnma (Imo), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Babajide Sanwo-olu (Lagos), Ben Ayade (CrossRivers), Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq (Kwara), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti).
There were also the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Kelechi Igwe and the APC governorship candidate in Kano State, Alhaji Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna.
Governor Bagudu said the visit was to congratulate Tinubu on the victory.
He also said, however, that the governors were ready for any assignment the President-elect may give them.
Credit: Daily Trust.
