The outgoing president of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, has reportedly visited president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over who succeeds him.
According to reports, Lawan urged Tinubu to withdraw his initial support for former minority leader of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Leadership Newspaper reports.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Tinubu’s widely reported support for the former minister of Niger Delta Affairs was aborted at the end of his meeting with Ahmad Lawan-led team of lawmakers.
Lawan who was reportedly at the meeting with some senators-elect and ranking senators pointedly told Tinubu that his endorsement would not translate into victory for Akpabio in the Senate.
According to Lawan, Akpabio would be difficult to market for the coveted seat in the Senate because he Akpabio was “bogged down by credibility baggage, which disqualified him from the contest.”
The senators were reportedly angered by the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under the watch of Akpabio as supervising minister of the interventionist agency for the oil-rich belt.
It was further gathered that the senators were particularly piqued that Akpabio allegedly frustrated the inauguration of the board and management appointed and duly screened and confirmed by the Senate on November 5, 2019.
Akpabio is among the strong contenders for Senate Presidency of the 10th Assembly on the banner of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC). Others are former national chairman of APC and Senator-elect for Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole; Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu and the outgoing governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi.