The Senator representing Zamfara Central and a former aspirant for Senate President, AbdulAziz Yari, has alleged a gang up against him during the election of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, Godswill Akpabio, had defeated Mr Yari during the polls.
Mr Akpabio, who was the preferred candidate of the APC and presidency, scored 63 votes, while Mr Yari got 46 votes.
But speaking during an interview with BBC Hausa on Friday, Mr Yari said powerful forces within the government defeated him, not Mr Akpabio.
He also said he joined the race because he was certain of victory.
“If I had known that I will not win, I wouldn’t have joined the race. But from the beginning, the number of Senators behind me could earn us victory. But don’t forget, I didn’t contest against Akpabio, I contested against all the forces of government; the president was obviously against me; the vice president; the SGF, and the governors were not with me.
“I just hope during his second term the president will allow the independence of the parliament to prevail.
“He [Tinubu] said he has a preferred choice, but that wasn’t the right thing for him to do as a leader.
“He should have allowed a free contest without interference. Remember, during his inaugural speech, he said he would do right to all manner of people. And I’m part of the people he’s referring to, so there was betrayal and inducement”, Mr Yari stressed.
While acknowledging that the election was free and fair, Mr Yari said he had conceded defeat and pledged to support the leadership of the parliament.
“The election was not rigged. It is very difficult to rig the parliament election. And these lawmakers are prominent personalities from different parts of the country. They’ve made their choices, and as a Muslim, I have accepted the outcome in good faith,” he added.
