Akpabio: Govs no threat to senators’ re-election

Godswill Akpabio, governor of Akwa Ibom, says the aspiration of governors to be elected into the Senate in 2015 poses no threat to senators seeking re-election.

He said this on Thursday in Abuja while speaking with journalits after submitting his nomination and expression of interest forms to contest the Akwa Ibom north west senatorial district in 2015.

Akpabio, who is also the chairman of the PDP governors forum, said that the political space was wide and open for healthy competition among all players.

He said that there were only nine serving governors seeking the senatorial seat in 2015 against 109 senate seats available in the upper legislative arm.

Akpabio said he wished 75 percent of the senators returned to the senate.

This, he said, would ensure a robust legislation for the country as the exposure of such senators would perfect legislative duties.

He, however, added that serving senators had 100 per cent chance to return to the senate, adding that there was no significant threat in the political transition.

Akpabio added that whatever dissenting voice that was being heard at the moment would be silenced by the PDP internal resolution mechanism, saying that it was a party affair.

“The senate has about 109 members and PDP serving governors interested in going to the senate are not up to nine, so you still have at least 100 chances for incumbent senators,” he said.

“And if it is possible for us to return more than 75 percent of our senators in the national assembly, it would help a lot in legislation and deepen democracy.”

He added that there was no threat to any senator where the governors of PDP nurtured interest in going to the national assembly or the senate.