Lawan set to be Senate President

Majority of senators may have resolved to back Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Account, Senator Ahmed Lawan’s bid for Senate President at the inauguration of the eighth Senate next month.

This indication emerged after the heightened open campaign for the office in the Senate chamber on Tuesday.

Lawan is relying on party discipline and zoning to grab a landslide victory in the election.

Also in the Senate President race are Senators Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central) and George Akume Benue (Northeast).

Both of them are formidable and are from the North Central. They are also former governors who are influential in the APC. They have also been criss-crossing the country for support.

A senator told our correspondent that some ranking All Progressives Congress (APC) senators, who witnessed the display of “arrogance in the chamber on Tuesday, have resolved to tow the party line on the Senate Presidency.”

He also said a meeting of a five-man national leaders’ committee saddled with the task of taking decision on “all issues concerning the zoning and party choice of who will preside over the affairs of the National Assembly” may have recommended the Northeast for the post.”

He added that most ranking senators on the platform of PDP have agreed to back Lawan.

According to him, “a hostile legislature will be foisted on the country should some of the people bidding for the position get elected.”

On the strength of senators backing Lawan, he said the Northwest, except Sokoto State, is secure.”

He said the Southwest and Northcentral zones’ senators-elect “will tow the party line once the announcement of the post being zoned to the Northeast is made public”.

He noted that over 80 per cent of the senators-elect from the Northeast zone would vote for Lawan.

He said that “APC senators-elect will comply with party directive while senators-elect on PDP platform will also support him”.

He added: “The committee took into consideration the fact that the Northcentral has produced three Senate presidents and two deputy Senate presidents and the absence of developmental projects in the last five years because of insurgency in the Northeast.”