9TH SENATE: MARK, EKWEREMADU LEAD LAWAN, NDUME LOBBY TEAMS

Less than two weeks to the inauguration of the Ninth Senate, and election of the presiding officers of the upper legislative chamber, major contenders for the position of Senate President

have upped their game.


This was even as the Supreme Court judgement, last Friday, which awarded victory to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in all elections in Zamfara State, has altered the political calculation in the chamber.

As part of the last minute push, the two major candidates, Mohammed Ali Ndume and Ahmad Lawan, have recruited prominent members of the PDP, outgoing and returning, to lead their campaigns.


Longest serving senator, David Mark, who ws also a former two-term senate president, has been poached by Lawan, to lobby PDP members to back his senate presidency bid.

Mark has been pushing for the emergence of Lawan since 2015, before the PDP eventually resolved to adopt Saraki as its candidate.

Daily Sun learnt that Mark has instructed his loyalists in the PDP caucus, particularly his successor from Benue South and former Interior minister, Abba Moro, to play the leading role in Lawan’s campaign.

It was further learnt that another prominent North Central senator, who is involved in strategising  for the PDP and its interests, was deployed to engage Mark and Abia State senator, Eyinnaya Abaribe, who are seen as top PDP leaders rooting for Lawan, in a persuasive talk, with a view to getting then to withdraw.

Abaribe’s support for Lawan is causing disaffection in the PDP camp, which is yet to take a position on who to support; ahead of the June 11 inauguration of the Ninth Session of the National Assembly.

Abaribe is eyeing the position of Minority Leader in the new senate. He also supported Lawan in 2015.

A source in the caucus said the decision by overwhelming members to stay together until few hours to the inauguration of the National Assembly before disclosing their preferred candidate, has attracted attention from many APC members particularly those interested in the leadership of the Ninth Senate.

On the other hand, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has thrown his weight behind the candidacy of Ndume.

Ekweremadu, who is also gunning for the position of minority leader, is making a last minute attempt, alongside senator Stella Oduah, to convince their colleagues in the PDP, who are yet to decide on who to support, to root for Ndume.

Ekweremadu, who is also one of the longest serving senators in this dispensation, is pitching tent with Ndume with the hope that if he (Ndume) emerges, he will support his bid as minority leader.

Oduah, a recent Ndume convert, is expected to lobby female senators to support his bid. A former minister of Aviation, is already making moves to reach out to her female colleagues.

Meanwhile, strong indications have emerged that Chairman of the Committee on Appropriation, Danjuma Goje, who is also a top contender for the position of senate president, will likely step down.

Goje joined the race rather belatedly, and is being poached by senators and leaders of the ruling APC on one side, and Ndume’s supporters, on the other.

As part of moves to compel him to step down, Goje met with a national leader of APC in Saudi Arabia, last week, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.  The duo reportedly lodged in the same hotel in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during Umrah, and had a discussion on the issue.

A source familiar with the details of the meeting, said more consultations would be held in Abuja, before the inauguration.

Goje, again, met with some APC senators on Monday, in his Abuja residence, to continue negotiations.

He also met with Ndume, on Monday evening, at his residence. This is the second time the duo will be meeting since they both declared to run for the senate president position.

Source: sunnewsonline.com