NASS: Akpabio won’t last as Senate President — Senators

Plans to challenge the outcome of the senate presidential election in court on grounds that the ballot papers used in the election were serially barcoded has thickened

Aftermath of the election of the presiding officers in the 10th senate has created tension as some senators of the ruling All Progressives Congress( APC) has been reportedly considering dumping the party to the opposition

Reports has it that 22 senators are concluding plans to defect to the opposition thereby giving the opposition the majority in the senate. In the event such plans materialize, opposition would have 72 senators while the APC would be left with 37 senators.

Meanwhile Former Senate chief whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has in a video debunked the reports saying there was no funny business conducted upon the floor of the hallowed chambers during the June 13 election held to determine who becomes the Senate President

In his words, Kalu said, “Let me be honest with you, the election in the Senate was very transparent. Senator Akpabio won the election. It was free; it was fair. I congratulate the Clerk of the National Assembly. I congratulate the Clerk and all the staff of the Senate. You know, I cannot lie against my conscience. Akpabio won the election hands down

In addition he said there are no two Senates in the history of the Senate. “There is only one Senate. June 13 was the day we decided to have one Senate.” Kalu said

Meanwhile, Senators who spoke to our correspondent disagreed with Kalu’s statement. They predicted that the tenure of the newly elected Senate president, Senator Godswill Akpabio will not be completed.

Two senators from the North East who shared similar opinion about the election said the election was manipulated against the candidature of Senator Abdul’aziz Yari.

Speaking under the condition of anonymity, one of the senators said, “Even though the election has been held and Akpabio emerged, there are still questions surrounding his victory. The ballot papers were tampered and compromised. The ballot papers were serially barcoded such that the idea of secret balloting never existed. Some senators were forced to vote against their will. These actions were not only undemocratic but unconstitutional and embarrassing.

“A lot of senators who voted for Akpabio did so under compulsion and threat. They never wanted him to be President. We are interested in telling the world how barcode was used to rig the election. Why should an electoral process be tampered with. Until it is determined there would be too many other questions to answer in the 10th senate. This is the first time ballot papers will have barcode. Akpabio won’t last as Senate President” The source said

Also, two senators from North West, one from South West and one from South East spoke to our correspondent sharing the same opinion

According to the senator from North West, “An election that was supposed to be secret balloting was manipulated and compromised. We believe that the right thing must be done to avoid international embarrassment. What happened on the June 13 was against the Senate rule. You can’t have a senate president that came on board illegally. We will challenge the process and make sure that the electoral processes are not tampered with in the future.”

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