About 24 hours to inauguration of the 10th Senate and election of presiding officers , the two leading aspirants for position of President of the Senate , Senators Godswill Akpabio ( Akwa Ibom Northwest) and Abdulaziz Yari ( Zamfara West) are walking on tight rope.
This is even as the Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, appealed to all the Senators – elect for the 10th Senate, to consider stability of the Nation during the election and not stability of their pockets.
Dicey contest between Senators Akpabio who was early last month, endorsed by the National Working Committee ( NWC) of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) , for Presidency of the 10th Senate and Abdulaziz Yari believed to be sponsored by those vehemently opposed to choice of Akpabio, came to the fore on Saturday night at separate meetings held by the two camps at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
Physical counting of numbers of Senators – elect for the 10th National Assembly at Lagos / Osun Hall (M1) where the Senator Akpabio / Jibrin Barau group held their meeting , shows 52.
But a strong member of the group, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (APC Ogun West), said the total number of Senators – elect that have signed for Akpabio/ Jibrin leadership of the 10th Senate are 62.
He explained that the non – presence of all the 62 Senators – elect was due to late finishing of the valedictory session, held by the 9th Senate same Saturday. which ended about 7.30pm.
At the meeting attended by the Vice President Kashim Shettima and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the Vice President declared that for stability of Nigeria, a Southern Christian would be most suitable for the position of Senate President.
Apparently not impressed with the number of Senators – elect at the meeting, the Vice President said in his personal capacity, he will get four or five Senators – into the group before Tuesday morning.
“Personally , I ‘ve been consulting with four or five Senators who are yet to join the stability group and very sure that I will convince them before the inauguration day.
“We shall surely win but we need to bring more Senators – elect across political divides into the fold,” he said.
Earlier at the valedictory session of the 9th Senate, the Vice President in his remarks said: ” To my fellow colleagues who will depart from this chamber, I address you not as colleagues left behind but as experienced lawmakers who has become an integral part of my history.
“We have shared many things in common and standing shoulder to shoulder in times of adversity. We have fought relentlessly for the betterment of our dear country.
“To my incoming colleagues, I will leave you with a paradox. The stability of this nation is superior to the stability of our pockets. On Tuesday, let us vote wisely. Let us vote for the Nigerian nation”
Notable among Senators – elect who attended the meeting, were Godswill Akpabio, Jibrin Barau, Adams Oshiomhole, Ibrahim Gaidam, Ali Ndume, Opeyemi Bamidele, Gbenga Daniel etc .
Meanwhile, feelers from the camp of Senator Abdulaziz Yari, on Sunday in Abuja, indicated that serious effort is being made on preventing depletion of the number of the group by the Akpabio/Barau camp.
A member of the group who belongs to one of the opposition parties, informed the Blueprint that serious overtures are being made on some of their members by the Akpabio camp which according to him are being rejected.
He however said that the contest will be dicey between Yari and Akpabio on Tuesday as interested parties outside the Senate , have joined very massively in the lobbying and persuations of Senators – elect on who to vote for, as President of the 10th Senate as well as Deputy President of the Senate.
