The race for who will the next senate president of the 9th National Assembly in June has continued to earn interest of many spectators both within and outside the 9th senate, quite a number of senators-elect have continued to show keen interest as the number three citizen in the country.
However, very late endeavors by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and other party leaders to mollify Senator Ali Ndume to drop his bid for the Senate presidency may have tumbled.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the ruling APC is facing a dilemma following the insistence of some senator-elect to contest the Senate presidency despite settling for Lawan for the job.
Fact:
Bukola Saraki is the first and the only Muslim, to serve as Senate President from 1960 to date.. Stop this religious card— Abrahams Isaac A (@Sbdsng) April 6, 2019
Tinubu has been quoted as saying those not in support of the party’s zoning arrangement for the National Assembly positions were free to leave the party.
Senator Ifeanyi Uba with @OfficialAPCNg Senators for the Incoming Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan. In Kano and Borno States for Consultation and Lobbying for the leadership of 9th National Assembly.@Ayourb @Victoria_NGR @segilolaa @olysa24 @MrLekanAdigun @iyaboawokoya pic.twitter.com/wZwAhhcjIh
— Ezeaka chidozie (@Ezeakachidozie) April 6, 2019
Speculation is rife that the party may expel any member who decides to move against its stand on the leadership of the National Assembly.
But a member of the APC National Working Committee, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity on Saturday, said, “The truth is that for now, the issue of expulsion for our members who are threatening to move against the party’s choice is not on the card.”
The circle is completed.
President: North.
Senate President: North.
Speaker: North.
CJN: North.
Pres. Court of Appeal: North.
CJ Federal High Court: North
IGP: North.
DG DSS: North.
DG NIA: North.
CG NSCDC: North.
Minister Defence: North.
NSA: North.— Odeyele Ayodeji. (@Haywhy_Jah) April 6, 2019
According to investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday uncovered that the leadership of the Party and some compelling legislators met a week ago and decided to talk to Ndume, who is challenging the position against ruling party’s favourite Senator Ahmad Lawan.
He said the group of senators had planned to meet Governor Kashim Shettima, also a senator-elect, but were disappointed when they could not meet with him.
The senator said, “The governor, who was probably aware of the Pro-Lawan senators’ visit, travelled out of the country before their arrival.
“The lawmakers decided to meet the deputy governor, who is not a stakeholder in the project. During the brief session, the deputy governor told the lawmakers that Shettima had travelled to Saudi Arabia.”
Further findings revealed that the pro-Lawan senators returned to Abuja on Saturday evening.
Shettima, who is from the same state with Ndume, is believed to be one of the major backers of the former Senate leader for the position.
When contacted, Sabi Abdullahi, who is the spokesperson for the Lawan group, described the information from the anonymous senator as false.
He, however, confirmed that 13 senators including Lawan were in Maiduguri for the wedding of Lawan’s niece and to condole with the family over the death of her father.
He said, “Anybody telling you such fake story is a liar. Our mission to Maiduguri was not to meet Governor Shettima. We actually went there for the wedding of someone who is like Senator Lawan’s daughter, his little niece.
“We also seized the opportunity to condole with the family of the young lady who lost her father. The deputy governor was with us throughout the visit up to the airport when he returned when we boarded our aircraft.”
APC has zoned the office of the Senate President to the North East while the office of the deputy Senate president was also zoned to the South-South with Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, Delta Central), fully in the race.
The strategist, who prefers to remain anonymous, said there are different camps now realigning which could be detrimental to the party’s wish to take control of the leadership of the party.
“You know, for now things are not going smoothly. A lot of snags created by the party could be detrimental,” the strategist said, adding that what happened in 2015 could repeat itself in 2019.