Senator Abdulaziz Yari, a senate presidential hopeful, has recently spoken out against reported attempts by President-elect Bola Tinubu to influence the selection of the next Senate leadership.
Yari, a former Governor of Zamfara, is pressing for the constitutionally provided process for choosing presiding officers of the Upper Chamber of the Assembly to be followed.
Speaking at a meeting with executives of the Tinubu Shettima Network (TSN), chaired by Dr. Kailan, Yari stressed that the responsibility of selecting leaders within the Senate lay with the senators themselves.
According to Yari, the Senate Presidential contest is strictly a matter for the senators, with the Constitution providing the necessary framework for determining leadership positions.
He said: “The senate presidency is a senator’s business and on the day when we are going to do it, everybody may think of the body of party or anyone is advisory to what we are going to do that day, the final decision is ours.
“When we do that, we are not for anybody. We are doing what the constitution says that we should take our leader within ourselves.
“That is what the sections of the constitution stated very clearly. What is going to happen that day, it is going to happen based on the instructions of the constitution and not for anyone.
“So, we are going to exercise our constitutional rights there,” Yari said
This newspaper earlier reported that Yari has refused to step down for former minister and ex-governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio.
It is understood that Yari’s decision to defy the persuasion of President-elect Bola Tinubu, who is reportedly pushing for Akpabio’s choice as Senate President, is creating a rift among the contenders.
