All eyes will be on the 10th NASS election on Tuesday, June 13, as Nigerians await who emerges as number three and fourth leaders; a position that seeks to alter the balance of power based on national order of precedence writes David Kabiyesi.
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When Godswill Akpabio hosted AFCON-winning Super Eagles to a grand reception at the Government House, Uyo in February 2013, he stated in clear terms what his future political ambition will look like. He did point out that his initial ” Godswill ” will always chart the course of his life even when things look impossible.
According to him, he was asked if he will one day desire the office of the state governor, all he could say was ” Let Godswill be done”. Even when the gubernatorial election campaign looked like he was going to lose out, his response was ” Let Godswill be done”. He eventually became the governor of Akwa Ibom State and enjoyed a turbulent two terms in office.
As Super Eagles players and officials smiled back to their waiting bus with loads of money on that faithful day, the slogan in the mouths of everyone was “Let Godswill be done”.
With the 10th NASS election in the offing, Akpabio’s slogan remains unchanged, he has continued to tell his camp, and foes that only God’s will must be done in his quest for Senate president.
In clear terms, whoever becomes Senate President automatically becomes the presiding chief of Nigeria’s legislature.
The race has been bumpy, to say the least as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) looks torn apart as party bigwigs debate whether to embrace zoning or leave the election open to all. While the party is yet to deal with the problem of a Muslim-Muslim Presidential ticket, the clamour to avoid another Muslim as Senate President is being re-echoed to high heavens.
The race for Senate President has reached its crescendo with Akpabio, Orji Kalu, Osita Izunazo, Abdulaziz Yari, and Sani Musa eyeing the lofty seat. But political pundits think that the battle for the hot seat is now a three-horse race between Akpabio, Kalu and Yari.
What are their chances?
Godswill Akpabio
The former Akwa-Ibom State Governor seems to lead the pack following calls to ensure the third man in the hierarchy of power emerges from either South-East or South-South after South-West and North-East produced the president and vice-president respectively. Nigerians also want a balance of power which will see a Christian emerge as the third and fourth man in power.
This is where Akpabio’s chances lie. This minority leader in the senate under the flagship of PDP before his defection to APC fancies his chances based on religion and he has continued to tell everyone what his selling point is: the need to balance power given the reservations about the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
But his biggest undoing could be his running battle with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) after the anti-graft body accused Akpabio of embezzling N198.1bn dated back to his time as Akwa-Ibom state governor and squandering N40bn during his three years tenure as chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). This oversized corruption baggage is heavy enough to slow him down and reduce his chances of becoming Senate President.
Orji Kalu
The former Abia state Governor is also capitalizing on his Christian background as his selling point. The former Chief Whip of the House is also a close ally of the immediate past Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and he was highly tipped to succeed Ahmad before the issue of zoning came in.
He is not safe too, just like Akpabio, Kalu is bogged down by a series of corruption allegations. Imprisoned after he was convicted of N7.1 billion fraud while he was Governor of Abia State, his failure to be fully involved in a presidential campaign that brought Tinubu to power could be his biggest undoing even as some party bigwigs claimed Kalu was instrumental to Labour’s clean sweep in Abia State.
Abdulaziz Yari
The only Muslim among the top three contenders. The former Zamfara State governor played a huge role in forming the party but his controversial stands within the party have not gone down well with members. Just like two other contestants, Yari is still under the radar of the EFCC for corruption charges after he was picked up in his Abuja home in May 2022 over alleged N80 billion fraud.
Finally
It remains to be seen where the pendulum of victory will swing but with Akapabio standing as the preferred candidate of Tinubu, it remains to be seen if the two other contenders would be able to subvert the choice of the President who is reputed for his political ingenuity.
