“What I told Akpabio on Inauguration day” – Senator Yari reveals

Barely one week after his loss at the Presiding Officers Election in the Senate, former Zamfara Governor, Yari narrates his political permutations before the contest and his next line of action

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The lawmaker representing Zamfara West Senatorial District, Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, says he has assured the newly-elected President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, of his team’s readiness to work with him for the protection of the National Assembly as an institution.

“I gave the senate president the assurance that we are going to work together as a team to protect the institution that we have,” he disclosed, while speaking with journalists on Thursday.

Yari in analysing what the calculations of his camp were, as of inauguration morning, further alleged that some Senators in his camp betrayed him during the Presiding Officers Election held in the Senate on Tuesday. Noting that he was confident he would gather at least 61 out of the available 109 votes, which would have ensured his victory, he however stated that he has no reason not to accept what God has decided.

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“Yes, I can say there was a betrayal. That’s the truth because as we were taking stock as of 3 am, Monday-Tuesday election, we took stock of over 76. We took into cognisance that there could be a fall-out of about 15, and we had agreed that if that happens, we would comfortably still have about 61 people. What we got was the reverse and yes, I felt betrayed over that outcome,” the former Zamfara State Governor said.

“Life is a cycle and as a Muslim, God has decided who will be the president of the senate for the 10th assembly and I have no reason not to accept what God has decided,” he added.

Backed by the leadership of his party and President Bola Tinubu; Senator Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom North West), on Tuesday, secured a total of 63 votes to flaw his only challenger, Senator Yari, with 46 votes in the race for the President of the Tenth Senate. Akpabio and Senator Jibrin Barau who emerged as Deputy President of the Senate, have since been sworn in.

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