The Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West, Godswill Akpabio, has been elected as the senate president. He defeated Abdulaziz Yari, senator representing Zamfara Central, to win the election on Tuesday.
Akpabio polled 63 votes, while Yari scored 46 votes.
Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, was the preferred candidate of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the contest.
The clerk of the national assembly is now administering the oath of office on Akpabio.
The clerk has also handed over the gavel and a copy of the senate standing rules to Akpabio.
Akpabio, 60, served as governor of Akwa Ibom from 2007 to 2015 and senate minority leader from 2015 to 2018.
He was appointed minister of Niger Delta affairs by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 and resigned in June 2022 to contest the presidential primaries of the APC.
In a related development, the senator-elect representing Kano South, Jibrin Barau, has emerged as the Senate Deputy President unopposed.
His emergence followed his nomination by the former Governor of Ebonyi State and senator-elect, David Umahi (Ebonyi South).
A member-elect (Kwara North), Salisu Mustapha, supported the nomination.
Akpabio has just exercised his authority for the first time by hitting the gavel. He is now swearing in senators-elect. Afterwards, the 10th senate can commence the business of legislation.
