10th Assembly Leadership: I felt betrayed – Yari

Senator Abdulaziz Yari, one of the two main contender for the 10th Assembly Senate President seat, has said that he felt betrayed by the outcome of the 10th Assembly leadership election result.

It will be remembered that the senators during the inauguration of the 10th Assembly voted for the presiding officers where Senator Godswill Akpabio emerged as Senate President having polled 63 votes leaving his rival, Yari with 46 votes.

Although the National Working Committee of the All Progressive Party had anointed both Akpabio and Jibrin Barau for Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively, Yari had kicked against the party’s choice and contested against the party’s choice at all costs.

Having shunned all pleas by the party and boasted of having the backing of 70 percent of the senators, Yari contested against Akpabio and lost the bid to clinch the seat of the Senate President.

Reacting to his defeat at a media brief, Yari said he felt betrayed over the outcome of the election.

The former governor of Zamfara state said, “I can say there was a betrayal because as we were taking stock at 3 am on Tuesday before the election, we took stock of over 76 people in our team.

“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.

“But what we got was the reverse and yes, I felt betrayed over that outcome.”

Senator Yari, however, stated that he was ready to work with the Senate President to work serve Nigerians and build the institution of the National Assembly.

He said, “Life is a circle and as a Muslim, God had decided who would be the president of the Senate for the 10th Assembly and I have no reason not to accept what God has decided.

“I gave the Senate president, the assurance that we are going to work together as a team to protect the institution that we have.

“Also, I have a discussion with my team; I told them for the task ahead of us, we have to support the leadership so that Nigeria can grow better.”