The jostle for the Office of the Senate President assumed a new dimension yesterday following the backing of the Senate Leader, Dr Ahmad Lawan by two former Presidents of the Senate and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Some former governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have also joined the push for Lawan.

But Lawan and members of his campaign team yesterday met with more Senators-elect to explain their agenda of a United National Assembly.

According to an investigation by our correspondent, the two ex-Senate Presidents, ex-Speaker and former PDP governors (names withheld) were said to be backing Lawan based on principles and the “need for a more robust legislature.”

A few of the ex-governors hinged their support on “personal relationship they have had with Lawan irrespective of the position of their party.”

The affected former chairmen of the National Assembly have “rated Lawan as a lawmaker with enormous legislative experience.”

It was learnt that some of the foot soldiers of the ex-Senate Presidents had been meeting with Senators-elect to woo them for Lawan.

A top source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “The mandate given to Lawan and other APC lawmakers to reach out to top leaders and members of the opposition has started yielding results.

“At least two former Senate Presidents, a former Speaker, about three ex-PDP governors and some former ministers during the 16-year administration of PDP have joined forces with Lawan. They believe that Lawan’s choice will be better for the upper chamber.

“These leaders have directed their supporters and loyalists to serve as lobbyists for Lawan because of the “need for a more robust legislature. They believe the Senate is derailing and losing its maturity.

“At the appropriate time, all these leaders will publicly unveil their support for Lawan.”

But Lawan yesterday had an audience with more Senators-elect from PDP in Abuja on how to have a united Senate and National Assembly.

He pleaded with the Senators-elect to “rise above partisanship and give him a chance to lead the National Assembly.

One of the PDP Senators-elect said: “Lawan actually assured us of fairness, equity and justice. We are happy that he is promising that there will be no discrimination.

“So far, we are all weighing options because Sen. Ali Ndume has met with some of us too. Although our party is yet to come up with a position on the 9th Senate Presidency, this one-on-one initiative of Lawan has given us the opportunity to know who he is. When we get to the bridge, we will cross it.”

Borno elders ?deny endorsing Ndume, any aspirant

The Borno Elders Forum (BEF) has said it has not endorsed the aspiration of Senator Ali Ndume representing Borno South for Senate President.

Its Secretary, Bulama Mali Gubio, said: “First of all, the Borno Elders forum holds Distinguished Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume in very high esteem as an accomplished son of Borno State. However, the forum will want to issue a clarification to forestall any more confusion.

Last week, there were media reports claiming that Borno elders had endorsed the aspiration of Senator Ndume for the President of the ninth Senate. When we saw that report, we felt there was no need to respond to it since Ndume is a son of Borno and like other sons and daughters, he is entitled to the support of Borno elders.

To our surprise, this week, we saw another round of media report claiming that Borno elders have for the second time endorsed Ndume’s aspiration. Although the reports bear the names of other people in the state, it is, however, public knowledge that whenever the phrase ‘Borno elders’ is mentioned, what immediately comes to mind is the Borno Elders Forum which has gained prominence as a pressure group that promotes and defends the interest of Borno sons and daughters.

We have received so many calls in reaction to the first and second news reports of endorsement for Ndume and we felt it was necessary to clarify that while we have no objection to the aspiration of any Borno son or daughter, our forum did not endorse Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume for the Senate Presidency and the forum has also not endorsed anyone for whatever aspiration at the National Assembly.

Senate Presidency: APC zonal youth leaders seek NEC meeting

The Zonal and state youth leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday asked the leaders of the party to summon a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) without further delay.

The APC zonal youth leaders who spoke in Abuja said that convening the NEC meeting would help the party to address issues threatening the party including zoning of National Assembly leadership offices.

The North Central APC zonal youth leader, Comrade Terver Aginde, who spoke on behalf others, said that they also resolved to ask party leaders to ensure that all positions in the National Assembly were immediately zoned to accommodate the six geo-political zones for equity and fairness.

No zone, the group said, is less important than the other.

The youth leaders called for unity and reconciliation at all levels of the party and the immediate rescission of all purported suspensions in the name of the party.

The group said the party leaders should also ensure that various organs of the party at zonal and state levels were made functional in accordance with the laws governing the party and to reposition the party beyond President Muhammadu Buhari and 2023.

The APC youth leaders appealed to President Buhari to consult the youth organs of the party in his next cabinet appointments especially on issues that affect the youths.

Aginde said they have examined the various pre and post-election issues confronting the party and therefore resolved to draw President Buhari’s attention to “the dangerous drift of the ship of the party which if not urgently steered aright may be heading for the precipice.”

He noted that their goal is not to “fight the system but to correct some ills within the system, shape the direction of the party and ensure a successful tenure of Mr President and all our elected party officials.”

He added that the “overall objective is to ensure reconciliation, unity and restructuring of the party.”

Aginde said: “It is a known fact that President Muhammadu Buhari’s personage epitomizes the strength of APC as at today. “Every concerned party member must begin to ponder what becomes of the party after the president’s tenure in 2023, especially in the light of the highhandedness and perception of lack of internal democracy.

“We observed with great concern the recent suspension of some major stakeholders of the party including two outgoing governors who are also Senators-elect and the retinue of court cases with significant judgments against the party- Rivers and Zamfara. The mishandling of these issues by the National Working Committee and other crises led to our electoral loss in the affected states, particularly in Imo, Bauchi, Adamawa and Oyo.

“Whilst we agree with the initiative to determine National Assembly leadership within defined parameters of zoning and ranking to ensure stability and discipline within the ranks of the party, we must do so without undermining the independence of the legislature.

“We consider the micro-zoning as a recipe for chaos mindful of the experience of 2015. It is anomalous to have made a pronouncement on the position of the Senate Presidency and Speakership of the House of Representatives to the exclusion of other positions and other zones.

“It is pertinent for members of our great party to note that the purported NWC decision is suspect. Not even the respected and revered national caucus of the APC comprising of major stakeholders such as President Muhammadu Buhari, APC governors, party stalwarts and BOT members addressed the issue.

“We are curious to ask for instance how the decision was arrived at, who moved the motion for micro-zoning, who seconded the motion, who voted for micro-zoning and who was against micro-zoning.

“We dare ask who is benefiting from this micro-zoning arrangement, an individual or the party? Party members will be glad to see the minutes of the meeting where such a decision was taken.

“All these are the result of the absence of consultation and lack of input from party stakeholders. We know for sure the rules governing the APC as far as decision making is concerned. Consistent with the provisions of Article 13, Sections 13.3 and 13.4 of the APC Constitution (2014 as amended), we know for a fact that every major decision of the party must be ratified by National Executive Council.

“It is worthy to mention that even Mr President’s candidacy for party primary in the 2019 election which was rightly zoned to the North West by the party had to be subject to ratification by NBC.

“We know that every organ of the party has been constitutionally created and assigned specific roles, yet the zonal and state organs have been rendered inactive.”

Apart from Aginde other APC zonal youth leaders at the briefing included Maigari Bello Kasimu (North East), Abubakar Sadiq Saadu(North West), Odu Olisaemaka Onyeka (South East), Gabriel Iduseri (South-South) and Lawal Ola Kolade (South West).