The former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio has emerged the Senate President while Representative Tajudeen Abass emerged Speaker of the House of Representatives. Both of them will lead the 10th National Assembly.

The election of Senate President was keenly contested with Senator Godswill Akpabio polling 63 votes against the 46 votes polled by formwer Zamfara state governor, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari. It was an open-secret ballot which shielded the choices of the Senator from public knowledge.

It was a different ball game in the House of Representatives where members voted overwhelmingly for Hon Tajudeen Abass who polled 353 votes to defeat two other contestants namely Hon Idris Wase who polled 3 votes and Hon Gadji who also polled 3 votes.

Party supremacy, consultation and serious pressure must have played prominent roles at the National Assembly where principal officers for the 10th Assembly of both chambers emerged. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had micro -zoned how the party would want its elected members to vote in the election.

But this did not go down well with some of the law makers-elect who felt that elected National Assembly members should be allowed to elect their leaders without external influence. Although there were reports midnight of Monday, June 12, that Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio is set to be crowned as consensus Senate President at the convening and inauguration of the 10th National Assembly on Tuesday, June 13, 2023,this was not to be as his strongest challenger, former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, refused to step down for Akpabio, who is the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) preferred candidate for the National Assembly topmost job.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has 59 senators-elect, the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) has 36 senators- elect, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has two senators-elect, Social Democratic Party (SDP) has two senators-elect, Young Progressives Party (YPP) has a senator-elect and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has a senator.

Alhaji Sani Tambuwal, the Clerk of the National Assembly presided over the session and called for nominations.

The senator-elect for Borno South, Senator Ali Ndume, nominated Senator Godswill Akpabio, senator-elect for Akwa Ibom North-East, as president of the Senate. Senator Akpabio accepted the nomination. While Senator Elisha Abbo, senator-elect for Adamawa North, nominated Senator Abdulaziz Yari, senator-elect for Zamfara West.

Voting begun at exactly 08:45am on Tuesday on a state by state basis, alphabetically and ended at exactly 09:15am. Senator Akpabio scored 63 votes while Yari scored 46votes. Senator Akpabio was immediately sworn in at exactly 09:44am as the President of the Senate for the 10th National Assembly, succeeding Senator Ahmad Lawan, who is also a member of the 10th Senate.

Also, the senator-elect representing Kano South, Jibrin Barau, emerged as the Senate Deputy President unopposed. His emergence followed his nomination by the former Governor of Ebonyi State and senator-elect, Engr. David Umahi (Ebonyi South). A member-elect (Kwara North), Salisu Mustapha, supported the nomination.

Barau accepted the nomination and emerged as the Deputy Senate President of the 10th Assembly unopposed.

Three members of the House of Representatives – Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, a former Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase and Aminu Gadji were nominated for the election to the position of Speaker.

But the preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Hon. Tajudeen Abbas emerged Speaker after polling 353 votes out of the 359 votes cast. Former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase and Hon. Ahmed Sani Jaji scored three votes each.

Hon. Abbas was declared winner at exactly 11.44 am by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambuwal.

One member-elect, Alhaji Ismai’la Maihanchi who was elected to represent Jalingo, Yerro, and Zing Federal Constituency of Taraba state during the 25 February National Assembly election and died immediately after the general elections, was the only member that did not vote.

Hon. Benjamin Kalu from Abia state emerged Deputy Speaker as he was declared unopposed.

It was observed that the immediate past Speaker and Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila took part in the election and after the election of the new Speaker also presented a ceremonial hand-over note to the new Speaker, Rt. Hon Tajudeen Abass.