Ex-lawmakers: Why Akpabio must be senate president

The Faculty Board of the Initiatives, a group composed of former members of the national assembly, says Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, must become senate president in the “interest of justice”.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Eseme Eyibo, a former spokesperson of the house of representatives, said Akpabio is more competent than the other senate president hopefuls.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) nominated the former minister as senate president and Jibrin Barau, senator representing Kano north, as his deputy.

Eyibo said it is “democratic” that the likes of Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara, and Orji Uzor Kalu, a former governor of Abia, have insisted on running for the office.

“What is going on in the national assembly is very democratic. It has given credence to the fact that the current administration is operating on the platform of democracy,” he said.

“When the president called the senators-elect and members of the house of representatives-elect, it was to simply appeal to all of them and they saw reason with him.

“Out of all the people aspiring, they can’t stand side-by-side Akpabio. Justice must be done on Tuesday.”

Commenting on the power given to the states to generate electricity, Eyibo said the federal government will need a framework for implementation.

“Such a reform will lead to setting up the legal framework for its implementation,” he said.

“States won’t just apply to generate electricity, there has to be a standard process to which that is done because there will be foreign direct investments (FDI) in that aspect.”