Senator Godswill Akpabio has emerged the Senate President of the 10 Senate following voting by lawmakers.
The Clark of the national assembly, Magaji Tambuwal announced Akpabio had scored 63 votes to defeat his close rival, Sen Abdulazeez Yari.
The Senate is made up of 109 Senators.
All the Senators from the states voted in an alphabetical order and after the counting, Akpabio was announced as the winner.
One Senator abstained from voting in the secret ballot election.
Akpabio is now the Senate President and the Chairman of the National Assembly.
State governor, Hope Uzodinma, Dapo Abiodun, former governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje were all at the red Chamber to celebrate with Akpabio.
Earlier, the voting for the office of the Senate President and the chairman of the National Assembly commenced with Sen Godswill Akpabio and former Governor of Zamfara State Abdulazeez Yari been the only two in the race for the office of the Senate President.
There was disagreement over the nomination of Abdulazeez Yari with an argument that he is not a returning Senator but it was overruled on the ground that he is a former member of the House of Representatives and that the Senate rule allows that.
Earlier, Ali Ndume nominated Senator Godswill Akpabio. The nomination was seconded by Sen Solomon Adeola.
Also Ishaku Abbo (Adamawa North) nominated Abdulazeez Yari and the nomination was seconded with Abdulazeez Yari accepting the nomination.
Meanwhile, Tahir Monguno had raised a point of order 3 sub rule 1 of the Senate arguing that one who is not a former senator cannot be nominated for the office of the Senate President.
Monguno, who is coming from the House of Representatives, said the rules specify who should be Senate President.
But the Clark of the national assembly, Magaji Tambuwal overruled Monguno stating that the rules says that either a former member of the house of representatives can aspire to be Senator.
The Clark of the national assembly, Tambuwal, declared the nominations close, with voting and results being awaited.
