...By Dorcas Funmi for TDPel Media.
Abdulaziz Yari and Orji Uzor Kalu Refuse to Withdraw from Senate Presidency Race
As preparations for the inauguration of the 10th Senate continue, three Senators have emerged as contenders for the position of Senate President.
Former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari and Senate Chief Whip Orji Uzor Kalu have vowed to pursue their ambitions despite the anointment of Godswill Akpabio as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.
According to reports, the APC National Working Committee (NWC) had initially selected Godswill Akpabio for the role of Senate President, Jibrin Barau for Deputy President of the Senate, Tajudeen Abbas for Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Benjamin Kalu for Deputy Speaker.
However, negotiations are still ongoing, and it is possible that Senators Akpabio, Kalu, and Yari will be nominated by their colleagues for the Senate President position on the day of inauguration.
Sources close to Yari and Kalu revealed that both candidates intend to challenge Akpabio during the inauguration.
Yari may even choose to step down in favor of Kalu before the voting begins, allowing him to compete for the position of Deputy Senate President.
Furthermore, reports indicate that senators-elect will also nominate three candidates for the position of Deputy Senate President.
The primary contenders for this role are Senators Barau Jibrin, Sani Musa, and Yari, who had initially planned to withdraw in favor of Kalu during the Senate presidency election.
One senator-elect from the North-West region emphasized that no candidate can claim the support of all 69 loyal members.
Instead, each contender can only rely on the commitment of approximately 40 to 45 members.
Despite the initial APC endorsements, the upcoming Senate leadership elections promise to be competitive, with multiple candidates vying for key positions.
As negotiations unfold, the final outcome remains uncertain, as senators-elect will have the opportunity to nominate their preferred candidates during the inauguration.
