9th Senate: Lawan Begins Campaign For Presidency

Senator Ahmed Lawan, lawmaker representing Yobe North at the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly has commenced campaign indicating his interest to clinch the position of president in the coming 9th Senate.

This is not the first time Mr Lawan who first became a senator in 2007 is indicating interest for the exalted position at the red chamber. He has been re-elected to the Senate for the third time having emerged winner of the senatorial race in his district in this year’s federal parliamentary elections.

Lawan was preferred by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2015 to clinch the position but the delay in executing the plan from the party saw another lawmaker, Bukola Saraki, emerged President of the 8th Senate.

Mr Saraki at the time belonged to the ruling party but sought the support of his colleagues from both the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to emerge Senate President.

His emergence did not augur well with the APC despite being a member of the party at the time and this led to several antagonisms between the legislature and the executive.

The alliance also saw Ike Ekweremadu from the PDP emerging Deputy Senate President.

The top lawmaker who defected to the PDP last year lost his re-election bid to the red chamber will not be part of the 9th Senate.

Flagging off his campaign in Lagos on Sunday, Lawan who is currently the leader of the 8th Senate urged his colleagues who are to form the next Senate to elect him to the position.

The lawmaker said the next Senate would assist the country by helping President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve his agenda.

He said the doctrine of the separation of powers should not translate into an unnecessary rift that will cripple harmonious working relations among the organs of government to the detriment of the country.

Meanwhile, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has also indicated interest to emerge the deputy Senate President in the coming Senate.

The current deputy Senate President, Mr Ekweremadu, will also be part of the 9th Senate having been returned to the chamber for the fifth time.

Mrs Tinubu is the wife of Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the ruling party.