ABUJA, Nigeria – Two days after losing the Senate presidency to Senator Godswill Akpabio, former Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, has claimed that he was betrayed by some of his colleagues.
On Tuesday, June 13, 2023, Senator Godswill Akpabio, a former Akwa-Ibom State Governor representing Akwa Ibom North-West and the chosen candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, emerged as the President of the 10th Senate after securing a total of 63 votes.
Yari, who is also a member of the APC, secured 46 votes.
In an interview held in Abuja on Thursday, June 15, 2023, Yari stated that based on his calculations at 3 am on Tuesday, he expected to receive at least 61 of the 109 available votes, enough to secure victory.
Despite feeling betrayed by the outcome of the election, the former Zamfara governor believes that only God knows what actually transpired.
“Yes, I can say there was a betrayal. That’s the truth because as we are taking stock as of 3 am, Monday-Tuesday election, we took stock of over 76. But as usual, human beings, we thought we are going to get a pullout of about 15 which we will have a comfortable 61 to win the election,” he explained.
“But it’s become the reverse which only God knows what happened. So, I feel betrayed but life continues and it’s a cycle.”
Alongside Akpabio, Senator Jibrin Barau, who represents the Kano North Senatorial District, was elected unopposed as the Senate Deputy President, succeeding Ovie Omo-Agege.
In addition, a House of Representatives member from Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, Tajudeen Abbas, was elected as Speaker of the Green Chamber, and a member representing Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State, Benjamin Kalu, became the Deputy Speaker.
