…By Lola Smith for TDPel Media. Godswill Akpabio, the recently elected 10th Senate President, paid a visit to President Bola Tinubu at the State House.
Akpabio, representing the Akwa Ibom constituency under the All Progressives Congress (APC), emerged victorious in a closely contested race against Abdulaziz Yari from Zamfara, securing 66 votes to Yari’s 43.
Withdrawal of Other Candidates:
Two other candidates, Orji Uzor-Kalu from Abia and Osita Izunaso from Imo, both members of the APC, withdrew from the Senate President competition after discussions with the APC and the President.
Swearing-In of Senators:
On Tuesday, Akpabio conducted the swearing-in ceremony for senators-elect of the 10th National Assembly.
He assumed control of the Senate, taking over from the previous Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who presided over the 9th Senate.
Party Composition in the Senate:
The upper chamber of the National Assembly will consist of representatives from 109 senatorial districts.
The APC emerged as the majority party in the Senate, with 59 members-elect, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) holds 36 seats.
Other parties with senatorial representation include the Labour Party (LP) with eight seats, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) with two seats each.
The Young Progressives Party and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) each secured one seat.
Conclusion:
Godswill Akpabio’s visit to President Tinubu after his election as Senate President signifies the beginning of his role in leading the Senate.
The composition of the Senate reflects the distribution of seats among various political parties, with the APC holding the majority and the PDP as the second-largest party.
The formation of the 10th National Assembly sets the stage for legislative activities and decision-making processes in Nigeria’s upper chamber.