ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Senator Godswill Akpabio, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs says his election for the office of the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly, is in the hands of his colleagues.
Akpabio, the senator representing Akwa Ibom north-west, emerged as the preferred candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC ) for the office of the Senate President, to beat others who are also eyeing the seat.
The former Governor of Akwa Ibom State spoke on the sidelines of the ongoing induction programme for the members-elect of the House and Senators-elect on zoning formula in Abuja on Monday.
According to him: “It is a normal thing for people to move one direction or the other. I am not worried about anything because I believe that the will of God will be done.
“In terms of being the Senate President, it is in the hands of my colleagues, the Senators elect. They will take the decision and the will of God will be done.
“The lawmakers are the ones choosing the Senate President. But I believe that there should be cooperation between the lawmakers and the party. Once the leadership is out in place, there should be cooperation between the leadership and the administration”.
Speaking on the issue of zoning also, the party’s preferred choice for deputy speaker of the House, Ben Kalu of the APC, Abia, said that having a cohesive house will enable the President-elect Bola Tinubu achieve his aim for the country.
“A more consolidated House is better for the incoming administration if the objectives set by it is to be achieved. We must work as a formidable front towards confronting the hydra headed problems confronting us as Nigerians.
“In a democratic clime like ours, the ruling party plays a key role in setting up the structure of government. For some of us who believe in the supremacy of the party, we will always tag along the position of the party. My ambition was to be the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It is the party that gave me the platform to come to the House of Representatives.
“Consider the reasons I advanced for wanting to be in that position which is the absence of a south easterner in that position for 40 years and the fact that we have men of capacity and competence that will be able to handle the responsibility of that mandate effectively. But at the end of the day, the decision will be reached by the party that gave us platform to be winners and be here.
“I heard that a decision has been taken by the party and we are waiting for that pronouncements. We are also ready to go along with what the party wants in the spirit of being a true party man. That is the only way we can have cohesion in our party, the only way our party will be respected,” he said.