APC chairman talks about Senate leadership and Akpabio's future

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, said the party has not decided whether to keep or replace Godswill Akpabio as the president of the 11th Senate. This Senate will start in June 2027.

Mr Yilwatda, who is a professor, explained that the decision will be up to the new senators elected into the next assembly. He added that the party will only choose who becomes the Senate majority leader.

He made these comments during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.

“The Senate actually determines it (Senate President). Let’s wait for the election first. Do you know what? I don’t have anybody in mind. The Senate will determine whoever they want to make as senate president. Well, the party will only just bring the majority leader,” he said.

The 11th National Assembly is set to begin next year after the 2027 general elections. A presidential proclamation will also take place. At this inauguration, newly elected senators will take their oaths and elect the senate president and deputy senate president as part of their first tasks.

The senate presidency is Nigeria’s third-highest political position after the president and vice-president. The deputy senate president is also among the country’s top legislative leaders.

Mr Akpabio, who is the current senate president, got elected by his colleagues in June 2023. He won against Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State who is now the director general of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

Mr Akpabio wants to keep the Senate presidency in the 11th National Assembly after the 2027 elections.

In October, senators showed their support for Mr Akpabio’s leadership and backed his re-election as senate president in the next assembly.

But his ambition might face competition from other strong political figures.

There are rumors that Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of Imo State and a supporter of President Bola Tinubu, is thinking about running for the Senate presidency after his time as governor ends.

Mr Uzodimma was a senator for Imo West Senatorial District from 2011 to 2019 before becoming governor in 2020. However, a Federal High Court in Abuja recently canceled the primaries that made him the party’s senatorial candidate.

Also, Adams Oshiomhole, the senator for Edo North Senatorial District, is believed to be interested in the senate presidency.

The APC has the majority of seats in the 109-member upper chamber and is expected to keep it after the elections on January 16 for the federal legislature.