The situation is growing increasingly dire for Akpabio as senators from the northern region of Nigeria make a firm commitment to oust him from his position. Their determination stems from the revelation that the ballot papers used in the recent senate presidential election were allegedly barcoded, leading to plans of contesting the outcome in court.
The aftermath of the election for the presiding officers in the 10th senate has caused significant tension, as some senators affiliated with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are reportedly contemplating defecting to the opposition. Reports suggest that 22 senators are currently making arrangements to switch sides, which would grant the opposition a majority of 72 senators while leaving the APC with only 37 senators.
On the other hand, former Senate chief whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has released a video refuting these reports, claiming that no underhanded tactics were employed during the June 13 election to determine the Senate President. According to Kalu, the election was transparent, with Akpabio emerging as the clear winner. He congratulated the Clerk of the National Assembly and all the Senate staff, emphasizing that he could not fabricate falsehoods against his own conscience. Kalu firmly stated that there is only one Senate and that June 13 marked the unification of the institution.
However, several senators, who chose to remain anonymous, contradicted Kalu's statements. They expressed their skepticism regarding the completion of Senator Godswill Akpabio's tenure as the newly elected Senate president. Two senators from the North East shared the opinion that the election was manipulated against Senator Abdul'aziz Yari's candidacy. One of the senators, speaking confidentially, highlighted the tampering and compromise of the ballot papers. The inclusion of serial barcodes eliminated the concept of secret voting, forcing some senators to cast votes against their will. These actions were not only undemocratic and unconstitutional but also deeply embarrassing. The anonymous senator emphasized their intention to expose the utilization of barcodes to rig the election, expressing doubts about Akpabio's ability to maintain his position as Senate President.
In addition to the senators from the North East, two senators from the North West, one from the South West, and another from the South East conveyed similar concerns to the correspondent. The senator from the North West asserted that the election, which was meant to be conducted through secret balloting, had been manipulated and compromised. They firmly believed that corrective measures should be taken to prevent international embarrassment. The events of June 13 violated Senate rules, making it unacceptable to have an illegally appointed Senate President. These senators vowed to challenge the process and ensure the integrity of future electoral procedures.