Former Akwa Ibom state governor, Godswill Akpabio, has been elected the President of the 10th Nigerian Senate. He defeated his closest rival, Abdul-Aziz Yari, former Zamfara state governor.

The election took place this morning June 13.

Akpabio, who is the preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress, was paired with the senator representing Kano South, Jibrin Barau.

The voting in the election of a new Senate President had commenced with Akpabio and former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator-elect Abdulazeez Yari, going toe to toe.

After a quick recess, Sani Tambuwal, the Clerk of the National Assembly, declared Akpabio as the Senate President having garnered 63 votes leaving his rival with 46 votes.

Against the announced time of 10 a.m., the election started before 9 a.m.

After the Clerk of the National Assembly called for nominations, the senator-elect for Borno South, Ali Ndume, nominated Godswill Akpabio, senator-elect for Akwa Ibom North-East, as President of the Senate. Akpabio accepted the nomination; while Elisha Abbo, senator-elect for Adamawa North, nominated Abdulaziz Yari, senator-elect for Zamfara West.

The senators protested that Yari was not allowed to stand for the position as a first-time senator.

After the lawmakers cast their votes in alphabetical order, two representatives of each team came to count their votes.

Senators Adeola Solomon and Ndume came out to represent Senator Akpabio, while Abbo and the senator-elect representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Jimoh Ibrahim, represented Senator Yari.