ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has official announced Senator Godswill Akpabio, the immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, as its consensus candidate for Senate presidency in the 10th Assembly.
Also, the APC has adopted the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Jibrin Barau, as the next Deputy Senate President.
The APC zoned the Senate presidency to the South-South and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the North-West.
In the Green Chamber, the seat of Speaker of the House of Representatives was zoned to a Kaduna lawmaker, Tajudeen Abbas, while Ben Kalu, a reps-elect from South-East, clinched the Deputy Speaker slot.
The National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, after a three-and-a-half crutial meeting of the National Working Committee of the party, told journalists that only the zoning of the two principal offices in both the Senate and House of Representatives had so far been decided.
Morka, who was flanked by the National Women Leader of the APC, Dr Betta Edu and Deputy National Women Leader, Hajia Zainab Ibrahim, however, reassured Nigerians that the leadership of the party would continue to consult with stakeholders.
According to him, the zoning and consensus candidates were done in consultation with the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, at the meeting they held on Friday.
Morka said: “The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress met today (Monday) to consider reports of consultations and meetings held with the President-elect, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, other party leaders and stakeholders on zoning arrangement for 10th National Assembly leadership positions.
“The NWC noted with respect the outcome of the meetings held between the President-elect and the leadership of the NWC. The NWC called for further and better consultation with necessary stakeholders in order to assure the support of the aspirants to the National Assembly leadership positions and members of the party nationwide.”