Akpabio Denies Withdrawal As Last-Minute Intrigues Enfold Senate Leadership Race

Amid last-minute intrigues in the battle for the coveted seat of the president of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio late on Monday denied reports of his withdrawal from the contest.

The reports (Not GWG) and his denial came amid concerns that the 70 senators-elect said to have pledged allegiance to the former Senate Minority Leader had not all registered their presence. It was gathered that 52 senators-elect, less than half of the number needed to win the battle were present at the crucial meeting with Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the Lagos Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel last weekend.

The concern among some Akpabio supporters came as the camp of his main rival, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari boasted of having 67 senators-elect in its camp.

Dismissing claims of his withdrawal from the race, Akpabio in a statement issued through his Chief Press Secretary, Jackson Udom said:

“Senators Godswill Akpabio and Jibrin Barau have not stepped down from the Senate leadership race as being circulated in some highly compromised online media.

“The truth of the matter is that this support base among his colleagues is swelling per minute.

“Please disregard the purported withdrawal of the duo from the race. It is a figment of the imagination of the backers of fake news,” Mr. Udom said in denying the claims of Akpabio’s withdrawal from the Senate leadership race.

Meanwhile, the Yari support group led by former Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central at a press briefing on Monday asserted that the group had collected the signature of at least 67 senators-elect.

He said, “Our latest count was 67 as of yesterday (Sunday) night and more are still coming.”

Besides, there were suggestions that to stop Yari from emerging as Senate President that all options were being considered by the authorities including a physical arrest of the former Zamfara State governor.

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