BREAKING: Akpabio defeats Yari to emerge next Senate President

The senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West, Godswill Akpabio, has emerged as the new Senate President.

He defeated the senator representing Zamfara Central, Abdulaziz Yari, to win the election on Tuesday.

Akpabio polled 63 votes, while Yari scored 46 votes.

The former minister of Niger Delta affairs was the preferred candidate of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the contest.

The clerk of the national assembly is now administering the oath of office on Akpabio.

The clerk has also handed over the gavel and a copy of the senate standing rules to Akpabio.

Akpabio has just exercised his authority for the first time by hitting the gavel.