Senate leadership: Tinubu’s choice of Akpabio, Barau down to political experience – Tanko Yakasai

A former Special Adviser to President Shehu Shagari on National Assembly Matters and an elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has linked the President-elect Bola Tinubu’s choice of Godswill Akpabio and Senator Barau Jibrin as Senate President and Deputy respectively, to his wide political experience and influence.

He added that Tinubu’s insistence on Akabio was wisely done to reward to the South South and Northwest loyalties during the presidential elections, where he got huge votes that led him to victory.

Speaking to newsmen in Kano on Monday, Yakasai noted that Tinubu, now the most experienced politician in Nigeria going by his political pedigree, wisely chose Akabio to support his administration in the discharge of thier responsibilities.

“Don’t forget that Tinubu as a former two-term Governor and also a former Senator himself knows what he is doing, therefore, the choice of Akpabio and Barau Jibrin was not merely done, he did it to have a team that will be by him in running of his government,” he said.

“Yes it is true that there are other regions who are gunning for the Senate Presidency, but did they support APC during the presidential elections? Do they have the required political pedigree in maintaining the party strength and support even beyond 2023? I doubt much.”

Yakasai added that the Senate Red Chamber is very critical in running of any government to a success as the senators decide who becomes what in any government through the screening of the appointees, therefore, the President needs somebody that he will trust to help him as Senate President.

He explained that the designers of the Nigerian and American constitutions made it mandatory and legal that the Senate, not even the House of Representatives, has the powers to scrutinise and determine who is appointed to every political office in the countries by divine probity.