Senate President: How Akpabio Got Tinubu’s Support

A former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio got many people wondering what happened when he knelt to greet President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Tuesday during a meeting with some All Progressives Congress, APC topshots in Abuja.

Tinubu, who arrived in the country this week after one month in France had a meeting with some APC stalwarts, at the Defence House in Abuja, the nation’s capital, including Akpabio who knelt for Tinubu while they exchanged pleasantries.

Not a few Nigerians who watched the viral video of the meeting expressed surprise that Akpabio, one of the contestants for the position of the Senate President descended so low. Others, however, said what Akpabio did was normal considering that Tinubu is older and is deemed to be the nation’s leader on May 29.

In spite of the mixed feelings that trailed his action, Akpabio, from all indications may have used that singular act to warm himself to the president-elect by getting his support ahead of other candidates contesting for Senate President.

According to Daily Trust, Senator Akpabio has received the backing of the former Governor of Lagos State to secure the position as the Chairman of the National Assembly.

Tinubu, the newspaper quoting sources in the ruling party has also endorsed Senator Jibrin Barau as deputy respectively, Daily Trust has exclusively gathered.

According to the source, Tinubu was said to have told Barau, one of the contestants for the Senate President to shelve his ambition for Akpabio while he takes the position of the Deputy Senate President.

The duo was said to have agreed with the settlement, and Tinubu is expected to communicate the decision to the National Executive Council, NEC of the APC for onward action.

The source said Barau “was told to drop his ambition for the emergence of a Christian as the president of the next Senate.

“The president-elect told Barau that he is extremely qualified for the job but that he should drop his ambition for the emergence of a Christian to enable his administration to commence on a good footing.

“He said since he (Tinubu) and Senator Kashim Shettima (the vice president-elect) are Muslims, the right thing to do is to support a Christian.

“It was after the pleas that the president-elect told Barau that he would want him to work with Akpabio as deputy Senate president.”

By settling for Akpabio, the party may have finally sealed the fate of other contestants for the position, such as Orji Kalu, the Senate Chief Whip, and Ahmad Lawan the incumbent, amongst others.