Senate Presidency: Intrigues Begin As Akpabio, Yari Walk Tight Rope As Voting Commences

More intrigues have stared unfolding as the battle for who controls the soul of the 10th National Assembly (NASS) gets more hotter on Tuesday morning.

Already, voting for the principal officers of the Senate, particularly the Senate President position has commenced at the Red Chamber in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Voting begun at exactly 08:45am on a state by state basis, alphabetically.

Nominations were received for Senator Abdul’aziz Yari and Senator Godswill Akpabio after which the Clerk of the Senate declared nominations closed in absence of further nominations.

The contest is now between Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State and Akpabio, a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and ex-governor of Akwa Ibom State.

BIGPEN NIGERIA (bigpenngr.com) reports that speculations are rife that there is already dollar rain at the national assembly with some senators-elect accused of collecting at least $5000 bribes from the camps of both former minister, Godswill Akpabio and former governor, Abdulaziz Yari.

“The Senate Presidency may trade for between $5,000 and $10,000 or even more. Some of the senators-elect have started playing double game, collecting dollars from the two contending camps and signing up for them.

“Some of the senators-elect who professed to be working for Akpabio – who is the anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress leadership – also attend nocturnal meetings of the main rival and senator-elect for Zamfara West, Abdul-Aziz Yari.

“Some of the lawmakers who appended their signatures on the list of Akpabio supporters had also pledged loyalty to the camp of Senator Yari.

“I don’t know what is happening on the other side but I am aware that some people who claim to be with us have also signed for Yari. I am saddened that senators are selling signatures for between $5,000 and $10,000. They are not asking Yari what he has to offer; they are only interested in his money,” one lawmaker who pleaded anonymity lamented.