Senator Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, representing Zamfara West senatorial district, expressed his disappointment and regret over his loss to Godswill Akpabio, the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, in the 10th Senate Presidency election.
The fiercely contested election, held on June 13, 2023, saw Akpabio emerge as the victor with a total of 63 votes, surpassing Yari’s 46 votes. Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, defied the zoning and endorsement arrangement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by entering the race.
Despite Akpabio being the preferred choice of the ruling party and President Bola Tinubu, Yari remained a formidable contender, posing a threat until the end of the contest.
In an interview on June 15, 2023, Yari revealed that he believed he had enough support to secure victory, as his calculations, as of 3 am on Tuesday, indicated that he would receive a minimum of 61 out of the 109 available votes.
However, Yari felt betrayed when some of his colleagues, who had initially pledged their votes to him, switched allegiances at the last moment. While acknowledging the feeling of betrayal, he recognized that only God truly knew what had transpired during the election.
Yari stated, “Yes, I can say there was a betrayal. That’s the truth because as we are taking stock as of 3 am, Monday-Tuesday election, we had over 76 votes in our favor. However, as is often the case, some individuals changed their stance, resulting in a reversal of fortunes. Only God knows what happened. While I feel betrayed, life goes on, and it is a cycle.”
Source: Pulse
