Akpabio believes that the ratification of his selection and others by the party on Monday is binding on all Senators-elect, regardless of political affiliation.
He is confident that APC Lawmakers-elect will comply and vote for himself, Barau Jibrin, Tajudeen Abass, and Benjamin Kalu for the offices of President and Deputy, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively, as directed by the party.
The former Senate Minority Leader is also optimistic about getting the votes of opposition Lawmakers-elect due to their fear of disobeying Tinubu, who would have been sworn in as President by the June 13th National Assembly leadership elections.
Despite the opposition to his nomination, Akpabio has urged his loyalists not to lose sleep over the stiff resistance of the Senators-elect. Speaking at a meeting held at his Transcorp Hilton Hotel campaign suite, he waved off the opposition and charged his loyalists to go about their normal duties as the Senators would act in accordance with the directive of the Party in due course. He claimed that the aggrieved Senators were merely seeking compensation having lost out in the yet-to-be-conducted Parliamentary leadership elections.
However, opposition to Akpabio's nomination continues to mount over the choice of him and other candidates enlisted by the Party in their zoning arrangement. With a history of betrayal, corruption cases, and maladministration in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Akpabio appears to be unpopular with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the National Assembly, including both the outgoing 9th Assembly and the incoming 10th Assembly. Entreaties from the former governor of Akwa Ibom to sell his candidacy have not yielded the expected results.
Additionally, Senators-elect from different political parties across the North-Central, South-East, North-West, and North-East geo-political zones have rejected outrightly the zoning formula for the 10th National Assembly leadership positions announced by the APC. This has resulted in the party's inability to secure the required number of Senators-elect to ensure the successful ratification of the Party's candidates.
Despite these challenges, Akpabio remains optimistic about his chances of becoming the next Senate President. He hopes to sell his candidacy to Senators from the North and South-East, who are yet to key into the Party's agenda. He is confident that the Senators-elect have no choice but to vote for him based on the orders of Tinubu and the Party.
It remains to be seen whether Akpabio's confidence will materialise, as Senators-elect are not bound by the directives of the party leadership. As the National Assembly leadership elections draw closer, the political landscape in Nigeria remains tense, with different political parties jostling for power and influence. The APC faces an uphill battle to secure the necessary support to ratify its candidates, and Akpabio's nomination may prove to be a contentious issue. Regardless of the outcome, the 10th National Assembly promises to be an interesting and eventful period in Nigerian politics.