I am not interested in being senate president now – Apkabio

The former Senate minority leader, Godswill Akpabio, has said he is not interested in being senate president now.

The position of Bukola Saraki as senate president is threatened as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its lawmakers have asked him to resign his position or be removed having defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr Saraki, however, says he would not resign as he believes he still enjoys the support of majority senators. 

The APC says it still has a slight majority of 53 of Nigeria’s 109 senators. However, two-thirds is constitutionally required to remove Mr Saraki, which means the ruling party would need the support of many opposition senators to achieve that feat, something it is unlikely to get as the race for 2019 heats up.

Mr Akpabio, the former PDP leader in the Senate, on Wednesday formally defected to the APC amidst rumours he was promised the senate president’s seat by the ruling party. 

However, in an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, the ex-Akwa Ibom governor said he was not interested in the position now. He, however, indicated he could be interested in the future. 

“No I don’t have any intention of becoming senate president today,” he said. “But I have every intention to become what God wants me to be. My name is Godswill and I believe in the will of God.”

When asked what would be his fate if APC does not win the 2019 general elections, the lawmaker said,
“The problem you people have in Nigeria is to always think of winning. It’s not about winning election, it is about participation. And as far as I am concerned, anybody who goes to election with the view to win election is somebody who must get it by all means and those are the election riggers.”

Mr Akpabio, who was referred to as an uncommon defector by the APC  National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole at Wednesday’s rally to welcome him to the party in Uyo, said most politicians are concerned about the next election rather than the next generation. He said he wants to be part of those who are concerned about the next generation.