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- Again, Lawan meets with PDP senators-elect
- North-west moves to take deputy Senate president, Gaya, Aliero join race
- Kukah cautions against imbalance in N’Assembly leadership
Determined to present a united front in the race for the Senate presidency of the Ninth National Assembly, one of the main contenders, Senator Ali Ndume, has come under intense pressure from the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to drop out of the contest.
Ndume is the main challenger to APC’s choice for the post, Senator Ahmad Lawan, after another aspirant, Senator Danjuma Goje, pulled out of the race last week following a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
The National Assembly will be inaugurated tomorrow and the election of the Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives will kick-start the ceremonies.
THISDAY checks revealed at the weekend that party leaders and top presidency officials intensified pressure on Ndume for him to defer to APC and Buhari by backing Lawan.
On his part, Lawan stepped up his lobbying of senators elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to lock in their votes.
Also, APC favourite for the speakership, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, also intensified moves at the weekend to secure his position.
His chances and those of Lawan got boosted at the weekend as a national leader of the ruling party, Senator Bola Tinubu, mobilised support for the duo.
However, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Hassan Kukah, at the weekend, warned against a situation in the National Assembly where the leadership of the legislature could be skewed against one religion.
Last week, such similar pressure being piled on Ndume paid off as Goje, a former Gombe State governor and Chairman, Committee on Appropriation in the last Senate, withdrew from the race and immediately declared support for Lawan.
But Ndume had rebuffed pleas then that he should emulate Goje, saying he was in the race to win.
Read Full story: ThisDay
