Senators from different geopolitical regions have entered the campaign for the 10th Senate President in an effort to become the nation’s third-most important citizen.

Old and young politicians are vying for the role even though the All Progressives Congress, or APC, has not officially designated the position.

The election of the next Senate President will be significantly, influenced by the APC.

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It’s interesting to note that although some believe the party leadership should avoid selecting another Muslim for the top Senate position, others argue that skill and experience should be the deciding factors.

The 1999 Constitution (as amendedSection )’s 4 calls for a bi-cameral

“The National Assembly for the Federation, which would be made up of a Senate and a House of Representatives, will have legislative authority over the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Rule 2 of the Senate Standing Rules of 2022, as modified, states that the ranking of senators shall nominate the presiding officers and appoint the principal officers and other officers of the Senate.

The following sequence should be followed for deciding rank.

Senators who had previously served in the House of Representatives, Senators who were elected as Senators for the first time, and Senators returning depending on the number of times they had been reelected.”

APC is more prevalent.

The People’s Democratic Party, or PDP, has garnered 27 seats compared to the APC’s 54 thus far.

Other parties include the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which has two seats, the Labour Party (with six seats), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP),

which has two seats, and the Young Progressives Party (YPP), which has one seat each. In favor of zoning

While the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Orji Kalu, and Senator David Umahi demand that the office be allocated to the area,

The South-East has been at the forefront of the race for the Senate Presidency.

The oldest or most experienced senator from the southeast and south-south in the chamber, Osita Izunaso, is returning to the Senate.

Some incoming North-Central senators have thrown their claim that they helped Asiwaju Bola Tinubu become the president-elect, leading them to throw their hats into the race.

Senate candidates for president

Those vying for the 10th Senate presidency at the moment include the incumbent Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North),

Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North), Senator Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North),

Senator Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom North-West), and Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Abdul N

Also, there are rumors that the upcoming senators from the APC’s Ebonyi South and Edo North, Governor David Umahi and Mr. Adams Oshiomhole,

are considering running for senate president.

The ranking rule needs to be abandoned for Umahi and Oshiomhole to be successful.

Senator Ali Ndume has also indicated that he intends to seek the position. Also competing is Osita Izunaso (APC, IMO).

The legislators have started quiet campaigns with their fellow MPs and governors.

Who has Tinubu selected?

Senators have stepped up their efforts to persuade lawmakers, APC members, and other stakeholders throughout the nation to support them in their bid for the top leadership positions in both houses of the National Assembly as they wait for Tinubu’s return.

The president-elect is now vacationing overseas and organizing his transitional strategy before taking office on May 29, 2023.

According to reports, Tinubu would take a break in Paris and London before traveling to Saudi Arabia to do the Umrah (lesser hajj) and observe the Ramadan fast, which started on March 23.

He has not yet announced In order to prevent a repetition of what happened in 2015, it is anticipated that the President-elect would discuss with his lieutenants his pick for both the Senate and House of Representatives.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to make a timely decision in 2015 resulted in the rise of Senator Bukola Saraki and the tense relationship between the Executive and Legislative.

Tinubu, who is thought to be a skilled tactician, might not make such errors.

Andji Kalu

The administration of the previous governor of Abia State is hopeful that Tinubu will lead an inclusive government by enlisting APC political mercenaries from the south-east geopolitical zone.

Although Tinubu is aware that Kalu is the Senate Chief Whip, his supporters contend that, as an Igbo who hasn’t held the presidency since 1999,

he would be open to the possibility of a south easterner taking the third spot.

Another defense offered by Kalu’s supporters is that, in addition to being Igbo, Kalu should be given preference due to his religious, affiliation as a top principle officer.

Jibrin Barau

One candidate for Senate President is said to be Senator Barau Jibrin, who serves as the panel’s current chairman.

Jibrin’s supporters argue that by winning the Kano Central Senatorial District election on the APC platform, the soft-spoken and laid-back politician has demonstrated his power and influence in Kano politics.

Moreover, they contend that he is the only candidate for the APC who seemed to be able to withstand the political, tsunami unleashed by Musa Kwankwaso’s New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), which won the senate elections in both, Kano South and Kano North.

Jibrin initially sought the position of governor of Kano State, but Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s handpicked nominee won the position.

He nonetheless demonstrated that he had the political fortitude to weather the Kwankwasiya storm by winning the election for Kano State’s sole APC senator.

His zone’s contribution to the APC’s win in the general elections on February 25 was significant, according to those supporting his candidacy,

and as such it should be prioritized and paid above other zones that made little to no, if any, contribution.

They contend that APC should prioritize rewarding effort above other compensating factors like locality and religion.

His supporters believe that Kano’s significance in Nigerian politics makes it impossible to ignore or wish away the power of the region, which Senator Barau represents.

Senator Jibrin was born in 1959 in Cabo Township,  part of Kano State’s Cape Local Government District.

He has a bachelor’s in accounting, a master’s in management, a master’s in financial management and pricing, and a master’s in business administration (MBA).

Also, he has a degree in financial management for company choices from the esteemed Cornell University in the US.

After completing his first academic education, the senator temporarily worked in the accounting division of the Kano State Foundation before leaving in 1992 to launch his own lucrative business with extensive interests in the Nigerian economy’s industrial,

insurance, and construction sectors. His success in the business sector gave him the background he needed to start using politics to further the interests of his people.

Barau ran for and won the seat representing the Tarauni Federal Constituency of Kano State in the House of Representatives in 1999 because of his love for his people.

He chaired the House Committee on Appropriations while a member of the House of Representatives. At that time, he also served on the Committee on Power of the House of Representatives.

He quickly returned to his own company after his term in the House of Representatives, but not before maintaining his interest in Kano State, where he is from, was manipulated politically.

Godswill Akabio

It’s noteworthy to note that the previous Senate minority leader is renowned for always striving for the top.

When he joined the Eighth Senate for the first time, Akpabio deposed James Manager to take the position of principal officer,

which he maintained until he switched to the APC during Bukola Saraki’s period as Senate President. Afterwards,

He was appointed Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs. He sought the APC’s presidential nomination but gave it up to Tinubu at the party’s primaries.

Oshiomhole Adams

For those paying close attention to the political game being played out in the National Assembly, Adams Oshiomhole’s entry into the contest came as a surprise.

Former APC national chairman and two-term governor Oshiomhole, former National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and native of Edo State.

Although if becoming Senate President may not be simple for a novice, those advocating for his election think that everything is possible.

Moreover, they contend that Oshiomhole is clearly competent for the role because the red chamber’s regulation does not expressly stipulate that only ranking senators may serve as Senate presidents.

How far he will go is unknown at this time.

Yari, Abdulaziz

Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, is another candidate for Senate President.

Due to the Supreme Court decision, which resulted in the dismissal of all elected officials running on the APC platform,

Yari was denied the chance to serve as a senator in the 9th National Assembly confrontation between Senator Kabiru Marafa’s and his side.

Yari and Marafa have both been elected to the Senate.

It could be difficult for Yari to be elected as a senator for the first time given the abundance of other high-ranking senators.

Umahi David

Ebonyi State Governor Umahi will be sitting in the Red Chamber for the first time as a Senator, and he is already vying to represent the South-East geopolitical zone as Senate President.

He is placing his bets on the likelihood that the office will be moved to the East.

Against all odds, Umahi joined the APC in an effort to run for the party’s presidential nomination. At the primaries,

he was defeated by Tinubu. After the candidate resigned, he later won a new Senate election. 

Izunaso Osita

Osita Izunaso, a senator representing Imo West, is also running for Senate president.

Izunaso made his decision known last week when he gave President Muhammadu Buhari his Certificate of Return at the Aso Rock Palace.

He made a suggestion to the President that he may run for Senate majority leader.

Izunaso oddly asserts that he has a higher chance of becoming the next Senate President since he is the most senior senator from the South-East and South-South zones.

It is noteworthy that the Imo legislator forced Senator Arthur Nzeribe to resign after preventing him from winning the PDP nomination.

He declined to comment when asked about his prospects against strong opponents like Senators Orji Uzor Kalu and David Akpabio.

He didn’t say anything, just reiterated that he was the eldest and would wait for the others to decide.

Senate President