Godwill Akpabio, the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, emerged victorious in a closely contested election to become the new Senate President of the 10th National Assembly.

Akpabio, who was the preferred candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), secured 63 votes, defeating his sole rival, former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdul’aziz Yari, who received 46 votes.

However, Akpabio’s path to victory was not without challenges, as some senators from his own party rebelled against his candidacy, defying the party leadership and President Bola Tinubu’s endorsement.

Numerous interest groups and opposition members also opposed Akpabio’s bid for the Senate Presidency, citing various concerns. These included allegations of corruption, purported disrespect for the national assembly during his tenure as a minister, and accusations of mismanagement of funds allocated to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), among other issues.

Akpabio, who had previously served as the Senate minority leader and switched his affiliation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in 2018, has faced multiple scandals throughout his political career.

Corruption allegations have dogged Akpabio’s reputation. In June 2015, he faced an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the alleged misappropriation of approximately N108 billion belonging to Akwa Ibom State during his governorship from 2007 to 2015. American diplomats labeled the corruption during his tenure as “exceptional.” However, no charges were filed, and a lawyer who petitioned against him was subsequently arraigned for defamation.

In May 2020, Akpabio was also under investigation by the national assembly regarding the alleged misappropriation of N40 billion allocated to the NDDC. He was accused of fueling the conflict between the National Assembly and the NDDC.

Furthermore, in March 2023, the EFCC invited Akpabio to its headquarters in Abuja to address allegations of abuse of office and misappropriation of billions of Naira. Akpabio’s lawyer, Umeh Kalu, SAN, responded to the invitation, stating that his client could not attend due to a scheduled medical appointment overseas. Akpabio then disappeared, only returning to the country several days after the president’s arrival, in order to continue his campaign for the Senate Presidency.

A sexual harassment allegation was also leveled against Akpabio by Joy Nunieh, a former acting managing director of the NDDC. Nunieh claimed that Akpabio had attempted to coerce her into taking an oath to prevent her from exposing fraudulent activities within the commission. She also alleged that Akpabio sexually assaulted her, stating that she was the only Nigerian woman who had ever slapped the minister. Akpabio denied these allegations and filed a defamation lawsuit against Nunieh.

While refuting the fraud allegations, Akpabio accused Nunieh of having a temperamental and character problem, citing her failed marriages as evidence.