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Tag: Adams Oshiomhole

  • Obaseki dismisses rift with Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has dismissed having any rift with his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

    Governor Obaseki, who spoke to newsmen at the Bénin Airport after arriving from his annual vacation, described the alleged rift with Oshiomhole as fake news.

    Oshiomhole, who is the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress(APC) had kept mute on the alleged rift.

    He has also not said anything on next year’s governorship polls

    Obaseki, who was accompanied by his wife Betsy, arrived the Benin airport at exactly 11.30am and was received by a large crowd of Edo residents led by Acting Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu.

    He waved the 4+4 sign to the large crowd, an indication of his intention to run for a second term in office.

    Read Also: Obaseki’s Edo Innovation Hub excites youths

    Obaseki said Edo people should expect more wake and see projects saying he is back refreshed and feeling good to continue to deliver good governance to the people of the state.

    Other persons that welcomed Obaseki included Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie; Edo State House of Assembly Speaker Kabiru Adjoto and Chief of Staff to the governor, Taiwo Akerele.

    All the 18 local government Council Chairmen, ward and party leaders were on ground to also receive the governor.

  • Edo 2020: Obaseki under pressure to drop Shaibu

    There is pressure on Governor Godwin Obaseki to drop his Deputy, Hon. Philip Shaibu, as his running mate for next year’s governorship election.

    The pressure is said to be coming from some All Progressives Congress leaders in the Estako axis of Edo North senatorial district.

    Shaibu is regarded as a confident and ‘son’ of the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole but the leaders have asked for his removal as a condition for them to support Obaseki’s second term bid.

    Read Also: Obaseki reiterates commitment to knowledge economy

    It was gathered that the leaders have penciled down some names to be presented as Shaibu’s replacement with a view to whittle down his powers ahead of 2024 when the governorship seat will be zoned to other senatorial district.

    Those pressing for Shaibu’s removal, according to sources, are said to be from Auchi, Fugar, Okpella, Jattu, Owan East and Agenebode.

    An APC chieftain who spoke on anonymity said part of Shaibu’s sins were that he opted to support Obaseki‘s second term agenda and the role he played between silent wrangling between Uzairue and Auchi.

    A top government official however said Governor Obaseki would decide Shaibu’s fate in November when his administration clocked the third year.

    President of the Estako Solidarity Forum, Mr. Saidu Momoh, who confirmed the pressure to drop Shaibu said the group would wait for Obaseki to formally declare for second term before taking a stand.

     

  • Osinbajo, Oshiomhole, others for APC summit in Anambra

    The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC, Adams Oshiomhole will be some of the big names to attend the party’s political summit in Anambra State on May 1st.

    While the Vice President will declare the summit open, Oshiomhole will deliver the keynote address. The former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, will deliver one of the lectures.

    This is part of the activities lined up by APC in the state, under the leadership of Chief Basil Ejidike, among others, to reposition the party in Anambra State.

    The party has equally concluded arrangements to set up a committee on how to bring back some of the elders of the party, who had backed out as a result of neglect.

    Some of the elders of the party were, former Governor of the state, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju, Senator Ikechukwu Obiora, Chief Dr. Obinna Uzor, among others.

    Before now, the party had set up a committee to investigate the abysmal performance of APC in Anambra State during the last elections of which the report was being awaited.

    Addressing reporters yesterday at the Olde English Hotels in Awka, the Acting Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Basil Ejidike, flanked by all the executive members, said the next target of APC was to win the governorship election of Anambra State come 2022, adding that the party still had a lot of grounds to cover in the state.

    Other activities lined up by the party apart from the three day summit included, the tour of all the 21 local government areas in the state, visit to all the federal government projects in Anambra, verification of the party’s register among others.

  • Osinbajo, Oshiomhole, others for APC summit in Anambra

    The Vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC, Adams Oshiomhole will be some of the big names to attend the party’s political summit in Anambra on May 1st.

    While the Vice president will declare the summit open, Oshiomhole will deliver the keynote address, with the former Senate president, Ken Nnamani to deliver one of the lectures on the day.

    This is part of the activities lined up by APC in the state, under the leadership of Chief Basil Ejidike among others, to re-position the party in Anambra state.

    The party has equally concluded arrangements to set up a committee on how to bring back some of the elders of the party, who had backed out as a result of neglect.

    Read Also: Osinbajo, Blair meet in Aso Villa

    Some of the elders of the party were, former Governor of the state, Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju, Senator Ikechukwu Obiora, Chief Dr, Obinna Uzor among others.

    Before now, the party had set up a committee to investigate the abysmal performance of APC in Anambra State during the last elections of which the report was being awaited.

    Addressing reporters on Saturday at the Olde English Hotels in Awka, the Acting Chairman of the party in the State, Chief Basil Ejidike, flanked by all the executive members, said ‘enough is enough’

    He said the next target of APC was to win the Governorship election of Anambra State come 2022, adding that the party still had a lot of grounds to cover in the state.

    Other activities lined up by the party apart from the three day summit included, the tour of all the 21 local government areas in the state, visit to all the federal government projects in Anambra,verification of the party’s register among others.

    Ejidike, who admitted that the party had not reached it’s height in Anambra State, however, gave kudos to the members to giving their best, adding that the aim of the current moves was to take APC to where it belonged.

    He said another important thing starring the party in the face was putting up a committee to harmonise all the warring factions in the state, which would give the party the opportunity to take over the state completely.

    According to him, “our aim is to take over power in Anambra as soon as possible and our target is the next governorship election and we are saying enough is enough “Ejidike said

     

     

  • Buhari salutes Oshiohmole for building strong, unified party

    President Muhammadu Buhari has joined all members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in felicitating with  party Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on his 67th birthday.

    He congratulated him for providing purposeful, courageous and tenacious leadership.

    According to a statement issued by 12.09a.m on Friday by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President affirmed that Comrade Oshiomhole, after many years of serving as a labour leader, brought a new dynamism into the collective effort to make democracy and development more inclusive in the country, recognising his vibrant relationship with Nigerian workers and ordinary people.

    Read also: Oshiomhole: Activist and political aficionado @ 67

    As the Chairman of APC, the President believed the strides recorded in the last elections across the country clearly testify to Oshiomhole’s visionary and vibrant leadership.

    He commended his effort at building a strong and unified party that is focused on strengthening internal democracy and developing the country.

    While rejoicing with family members, friends and political associates of the APC Chairman on the milestone, President Buhari described him as a man of conviction, who stands resolutely by whatever he believes in.

    The President prayed that the Almighty God will grant the party chairman longer life, good health and wisdom in serving the country and its citizens

  • Oshiomhole turning APC to regional minority party – Okorocha 

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday said   the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, is fast turning the party to regional minority party.

    If not checked, he said APC might have serious set back in the year 2023.

    Okorocha spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Villa in Abuja.

    On the mistake of 2015 and the emergence of new leadership for the National Assembly, Okorocha said:  “I have been watching carefully what is happening in the National Assembly, it’s a very interesting drama. But all I ask them is that they should consider the South East in their calculations.

    “This nation will not be properly balanced if South-east is not carried along properly in the affairs of the National Assembly. Nobody seems to be talking about the South-east, it looks like the South-east doesn’t have a place anymore, that is wrong, politically speaking and that is not good for APC.

    “Because there is going to be a bigger APC after President Muhammadu Buhari must have left the seat. My fear now is that APC might have a serious set back in 2023 because the Oshiomhole’s led executive is actually turning APC into a regional minority party which shouldn’t be because of his mistakes.

    “Right now in the whole South-east, we don’t have an APC governor. So if there is any discussion in Nigeria now within the APC governors and President Muhammadu Buhari, there would be nobody from the South East.

    “This is what the APC Chairman has done in the South-east. I think it’s a capital attempt to frustrate the efforts of the South-east. But I appeal to every Nigerian to support the cause of the South-eEast.

    “They shouldn’t think about giving South East, whatever position for giving sake. You can’t just wake up and give them any position. South East is a key primary zone in this country and if we don’t get the number one seat, we should get the number two seat.” he said

    He also blamed Oshiomhole for his predicament.

    According to him, INEC has no right to withhold his certificate of return.

    Asked why his party is not making any case for his certificate of return, he said:  “I won’t be surprise because, of course, you know the imposition we suffered in the party. When you say the party, you talk about the leadership of that party. I don’t have problem with the Working Committee of that party, I only have problem with the chairman of that party as he took it upon himself to do the wrong thing against me for just no cause and to fight a battle that he can never win.

    “No, he is the one that is behind all these impositions, can you imagine, as I speak to you the APC candidate in Imo State did not win a seat, APC does not have a councilor in Imo State now, it does not even have a House Member.

    “But the AA party has eight seats in the Imo State House of Assembly, two Federal House and they have one senator about to come to the Senate. This is why internal democracy must be respected, let the will of the people prevail rather than this imposition.

    “It is unfortunate what has happened in Imo State. At least, I have been vindicated for the fact that I said the APC candidate they are imposing on Imo people is not popular, he came from the opposition. When I was the leader of that party, when I was running the affairs of that party, we won 24 seats in the House of Assembly, we have governor, federal house members but today APC does not have because of imposition.” he said

    On the true position regarding his certificate of return, he said “As it stands today, I am just waiting patiently for the release of my certificate of return for election that I duly won, and I am hoping that INEC will release my certificate of return.

    “I have not contravened any section of the constitution and I have not done anything wrong not to be given my certificate. I pray and hope INEC would do what is just and what is right.”

    Asked if he discussed the issue with the President, Okorocha said “I don’t think that would have been necessary to do because, it’s a straight forward matter. INEC conducted election, results were declared – the returning officer declared the results and I won. Only, one week later to hear that somebody wrote a petition that he issued that declaration under duress. I say where? Was it in his private house or was it in the collation Centre?

    “If it is the collation, SSS were there, police were there, international observers, INEC officials and many others. So who actually put him under duress?” he queried

    “The man has not been able to say that. Nobody has ever sent a statement about that. But I think INEC would want to do the right thing very very soon.

    “Now in the same way, the governorship candidate of PDP never won that election because the election flouted section 179 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which says that you must have the highest votes and you must have 25 percent in two third of the local governments.

    “Now, this gentleman who was declared the winner by the same INEC, had 135,000 votes from 24 local government but had over 130,000 votes from his three local governments. Of course you know, he didn’t win that election. But even at that, we had the highest mark, the Returning Officer of INEC was never patient to even calculate to know that it was 200,000 votes cancelled and there is supposed to be a rerun.

    “Also flouting that basic constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria which says you must have 25 percent in two-third, he doesn’t have it.

    He was confident that there would be rerun election in his state.

    “So, as far as I am concern, there will be a rerun in Imo State and the Prof that did that should either be de-robed as a professor and he should be charged for that serious offence of not respecting the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria. What this means is that someday, one crazy person might just walk on the street and take one mad man, give him result sheet and declared him winner even if the man did not belong to a party.

    “And we are getting to a stage in this country that once you are declared, you are declared. This is the crazy thing that is happening in Imo State and also it happened in Okigwe zone where a loser ran away with the result sheet. The person came fifth, and is trying to return himself. Up till now as I speak to you the Okigwe senatorial seat has not been declared.

    Read also: No rift between Oshiomhole, Amaechi on Rivers, says APC

    “I don’t know what INEC is waiting for because the man who won the election they could not declare him. Now the person who ran with the result sheet, and the Prof ran away to the US, he is not back. So there is a stalemate everywhere, I think INEC should revisit Imo matter.” he stated

    He said that his relationship with the President is intact despite what has been happening in his state.

    “As a matter of fact, Buhari is a great man, he is a man of wisdom, a visionary leader. That is why you see some of us going along with him. It’s for what he has upstairs – he can see far, that is why he made that declaration in Imo State – ‘vote according to your conscience. It was in Imo state that he first use that word.   So my relationship with him is not affected in anyway.”

    On why he visited the President, he said “I came here precisely to discuss with Mr President to come and commission my projects. I have completed the construction of a new Cargo Airport Terminal, Warehouses and cargo sheds that is to be commissioned.

    “I have also completed a new police headquarters and also a new prison headquarters in Imo State. These are federal government projects built by Imo State government.

    “Another landmark project is the Justice Oputa Court – the new Imo State High Court Complex which we have built.

    “So, we have over a thousand verifiable projects to be commissioned. So I am requesting Mr President to kindly commission the federal ones and see how many of the state’s projects he could commission for me. This is precisely why I am here.” he said

  • Oshiomhole’s statement on Rivers being twisted, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday lashed out at a section of media, accusing it of twisting the statement on the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to suit what it described as a jaundiced narrative.

    The party said there was no disagreement between the Oshiomhole the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi on the adoption of the governorship candidate of the AAC for the governorship election in Rivers state.

    National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu said in a statement that while the party has no formal alliance with the African Action Congress (AAC), that has not for closed any local arrangement that may have been made by any local chapter of the party.

    The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to some reports in the media purporting a disagreement between the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi over the alignment of the Rivers State APC with the governorship candidate of the AAC, Awara Biokpomabo.

    Read Also: We won’t share power with PDP, says Oshiomhole

    “It is regrettable that the APC National Chairman’s statement is being twisted to suit a jaundiced narrative. This narrative is at best, mischievous, pedestrian and should be disregarded.

    “The APC Chairman’s statement is unambiguous as to the effect that the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) does not have any formal alliance with AAC. This is without prejudice to any local arrangement that may exist.

    “Both Oshiomhole and Ameachi are above the petty insinuations being orchestrated by a section of the Media. Like many leaders of the party, APC National Chairman, Comrade Oshiomhole and the Minister of Transport, Hon. Amaechi enjoys cordial relationship and do share mutual respect; therefore, deliberate misinterpretation of issues and statements from the party or between the two of them would continue to fail.”

     

     

     

  • 9th NASS: APC Diaspora chairmen urge support for party’s choice candidates

    The Committee of Diaspora Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on members of the party to support the party’s preferred candidates for all principal offices of the ninth National Assembly.

    The committee made the appeal in a statement emailed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

    NAN reports that the statement was sent by the Chairman, APC Scandinavia, Mr Ayoola Lawal, from his Sweden base.

    The statement was signed by Dr Philip Edeawor, Chairman APC, United Kingdom; Prof. Adesegun Olabinjo, Chairman, APC, USA; Mr Stephen Adeayo, Chairman, APC Spain; Barrister Hammed Adefioye, Chairman APC Ireland; Mr Olanrewaju Balogun ,Chairman, APC, France and Mr Olalekan Ogunwede, Chairman, APC, Germany, Ayoola.

    Mr Bola Babarinde, APC Chairman, South Africa; Mr Elas Abong, APC Chairman, Canada; Mr Charles Michelleti (Ghana), Mr Adesola Adelekan (Philippines) and Mr Tony Isama, Emeritus Chairman of APC Diaspora Chairmen Forum, also signed the release.

    The committee said it was imperative for members and chieftains of the party and candidates for principal offices in the Senate and House of Representatives to avoid the mistakes of the past.

    The committee urged members of the party elected for the ninth Assembly to work harmoniously with the executive.

    It said this would help the party to deliver its electoral promises to Nigerians.

    The committee called for unity and cohesion of all groups in the party, saying nothing could be achieved in an atmosphere of disunity.

    “We the committees of Diaspora Chairmen believe that for our party to grow, mature and/or become an institution that provides national visionary leadership, every effort must be made to remove all known or possible cause(s) of internal contradictions and those factors that blur our party’s social democratic values.

    Read also: How 9th NASS leaders will emerge, by Tinubu

    “Such steps will help us avoid the pitfalls of the past, particularly the unacceptable situation of having a National Assembly leadership that was largely driven by the opposition and that seemed to work at cross purposes with the executive arm of government and the party all the time.

    “We plead with Mr President and party leaders to take a clear, firm and unambiguous position with regards to the party’s preferred options for the leadership of the National Assembly and to do everything permissible to avoid the fiasco of 2015.

    “We want to assure our party leaders of our firm support with regards to the recent pronouncements of the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

    “Our party, the APC should, through respectful conversations, convince all our elected distinguished and honourable members of the National Assembly to go into the issue of electing leaders for the Senate and House of representatives as a family, united in the desire to ensure that the party becomes a more functional political party.

    “It should be focused on deepening our message to the Nigerian people.

    “The committee of Diaspora chairmen calls on and pleads with all our elected National Assembly members to work in harmony with our party leadership and Mr President to ensure that APC truly becomes the party of choice for all Nigerian patriots.

    “We strongly appeal to our distinguished leaders to support whoever the party presents as candidate for all offices in the 9th National Assembly, including the offices of the Senate President and Speaker of House of Representatives.

    “As for us and our members in the Diaspora, we have laboured long and hard, contributing in a significant way to achieve victory for our party at both the national and state elections.

    “And our one desire is to see our party truly in government this time. We no longer wish to see our effort and contributions hijacked by those who do not believe in our party and what she stands for in Nigeria’s political evolution.

    ‘”The clear message this time should be ‘Our party, our government.

    “Therefore, cooperation and mutual respect among all our elected leaders and our party leaders at all levels are of paramount importance to achieve all our objectives,” the committee said.

    The committee congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on their re-election, calling on the duo to immediately strengthen the workings of the party to help achieve good governance. (NAN)

  • We were all consulted, says Senate spokesman

    The last may not have been heard about the endorsement of Senator Ahmed Lawan for Senate President by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Spokesman for the “Ahmed Lawan for Senate President Group of Senators, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, told reporters in Abuja yesterday that APC senators-elect were carried along in the adoption of Lawan for the position.

    Abdullahi’s explanation contradicted that of Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, who claimed that the announcement of the adoption of Lawan by the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, came to senators-elect as a shock.

    The party chair announced the party’s position on Monday at a dinner attended by the APC senators-elect with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House.

    Although Abdullahi did not mention Ndume, he was categorical that “it is not good for somebody to peddle lies.”

    He added that when Oshiomhole announced the adoption of Lawan as the party’s choice for the Senate President of the Ninth Senate, the party chairman spoke in the presence of some governors, including those of Oyo, Kebbi and Borno states.

    Abdullahi, who doubles as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media & Public Affairs, quoted Oshiomhole to have appealed to them to support Lawan to avoid the mistake of the past.

    “Immediately he said that, there was instantaneous and spontaneous applause by senators who were there. For somebody to say there was surprise and shock following the announcement, he was economical with the truth. There was no shock, rather there was relief,” Abdullahi said.

    Abdullahi who said that the APC has learnt its lesson from the mistake of 2015 when Dr. Bukola Saraki became the Senate President against the directive of the party, assured that there would be no such crisis this time around.

    According to him, there was no clear directive by the party in 2015, prompting senators to go their different ways in the chamber.

    The APC, he said, has a great role to play in who becomes the Senate President.

    He said: “If the party has promised Nigerians good governance, it is only fair and proper for the party to play some role to deliver that good governance. For me, we have learnt our lessons from whatever happened in 2015.

    “Even when I’m walking on the street, people say please you people should make sure you learn from your past mistakes. As far as I’m concerned, we have unity of purpose.

    “We the senators-elect, we have made a choice. We have the right to say this is who we want. Our choice is Ahmed Lawan. Do you expect that Mr. President and the party should abdicate their responsibility? This is what they accused us of in 2015. Now they have spoken, why are you complaining?”

    He insisted that the announcement by Oshiomhole should have been enough for a genuine party loyalist to drop his ambition and toe party line.

    Abdullahi said there was no doubt that Nigerians would be the best for the emergence of Lawan.

    “It is not good for you to have bills that are not assented to,” he said.

    He said that on the day of inauguration of the Ninth Senate in June, by the grace of God, Ahmed Lawan will be Senate President.

    On alleged winner-take-all posture of the APC, he said that it does not necessarily mean that the party’s senators would take all positions in the Senate.

    The position of the party chairman on the issue, he said, was that the majority would have its way while the minority will have its say but the two must co-exist

    Abdullahi, who said they had been engaging the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators-elect, noted that contrary to insinuation, the PDP senators-elect were not interested in any fight.

    On the slot of Deputy Senate President, he noted that the party has the responsibility to zone positions.

    Abdullahi said: “One thing I know and which is certain is that the party has zoned the Senate President to the Northeast. As for Deputy Senate President, I don’t know; the party will decide. When the party decides, there will be no dissent. If you dissent, it will be like a fly that wants to follow the corpse to the grave.

    “I won’t come here and start boasting about number but I want to tell you that on that very day. The party is responsible for zoning and the senate presidency has been zoned to the Northeast.

    “I don’t have the idea on what the party is doing on the position of deputy senate presidency. The party will ensure that a senator from each of the geopolitical zone benefit from the leadership positions, that is, two presiding officers and the four principal officers.

    Read also: APC: why we picked Lawan for Senate President

    “Let me tell you very clearly that we have been engaging our colleagues in the PDP and I will tell you that majority of them are actually working for us to see that we have a harmonious, rancour-free and non-tumultuous senate.

    “They are right by doing so because they are mandated by their people to come and represent them and to take dividend of democracy home not to take victories of fight on the floor home.

    “Fighting on the floor of the Senate cannot translate to dividends of democracy because the people want to see the roads infrastructure, health facilities and schools that you are able to attract to their constituency.

    “The government that we are going to form is that of the APC and the chief executive will be running the policy of the party. A parliamentarian want his people to benefit from the dividend of democracy have to work with those who are in government.

    “Our colleagues in the PDP are not interested in any fight. We are engaging them and we are talking. They know the truth and I know that we shall work together and succeed together.”

  • Buhari, APC chiefs endorse Lawan for Senate President

    Ahmad Lawan is the favourite for Senate President  – courtesy of his “rich legislative experience” and character –  The Nation learnt yesterday.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership and most APC governors have endorsed the Senate Leader after consultations.

    The leaders were said to have considered  Lawan’s “qualifications, prudence, accountability, loyalty and rich legislative experience” which will assist the APC government to have a robust Executive-Legislative relationship to fast-track development.

    Lawan is believed to be a “leader with much focus on accountability”.

    It was also learnt that Buhari preferred Lawan because he repeatedly told senators-elect that he will “like to leave sustainable legacies; to be remembered for something”.

    Buhari, who was emotional at a stage in his speech during a dinner with old and would-be lawmakers on Monday, regretted the frosty relationship between his administration and the leadership of the 8th National Assembly.

    Senators Danjuma Goje and Adamu Abdullahi were calm, but Senator Ali Ndume protested against what he called Lawan’s imposition.

    The search for the President of the Ninth Senate started immediately after the February 23 elections when members of the “kitchen cabinet” sought the opinion of the President on the direction to go.

    It was gathered that the President wasted no time in picking Lawan.

    Besides, every time the governors met with Buhari, his refrain was always “I will be involved in the election of principal officers in the National Assembly this time around”.

    The source said the Kitchen Cabinet members, strategists, governors, national leaders of the party and APC leadership later endorsed Lawan.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The choice of Lawan for the office was not the making of the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. The President had zeroed in on Lawan since 2015 and he did not mince words in asking the leaders of the party, APC governors and even senators-elect to ‘leave the Senate President for me’.”

    “He spent the past few weeks to consult with some leaders of APC, governors and senators-elect to feel their pulse on Lawan. Having realised his position, some APC governors asked senators-elect from their states to be part of Lawan’s campaign.

    “When Ndume met with one of the leaders of the party, he only said: ‘Whichever direction the President is going, I will follow him. You cannot expect me to work against the interest of the President.’

    Read also: Group to APC leadership: ensure fairness in zoning National Assembly’s positions

    “Security reports on Lawan’s lifestyle revealed a commitment to accountability. He does not indulge in wasteful spending. He fits into the austere focus of Buhari.”

    Security agencies, it was learnt, rated Lawan as a loyal politician, who has been consistent in the last 20 years as a progressive.

    “The dilemma of the President was how to break the news to senators-elect without making it to look like an imposition. Again, he was not too comfortable with the intrigues on the race for Senate presidency. This was why he felt he must address it before going on break,” the source said, adding:

    “Buhari only routed his choice through the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, to demonstrate deference to party and promote discipline in APC.”

    A source said: “The President actually respected us and named his preferences for President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    “Oshiomhole’s job was simple. He was only to convey the decision of the leader of the party to our members-elect in the National Assembly. We are trying to avoid what happened in 2015.”

     How the news was broken to senators-elect

    A senator-elect at the dinner in the Villa said: “Sitting beside the President, Oshiomhole spoke passionately and made it clear that all ranking senators-elect are eminently qualified to be the President of the Senate and other principal officers. He eulogised all ranking senators.

    “He had some difficulty in going straight to the point but he explained why it was necessary for the party to be united and have a solid leadership in the National Assembly.

    “After some rigmarole, the National Chairman said the National Working Committee had consulted with the governors elected on the platform of the party and APC leaders and reached a conclusion that Dr. Ahmad Lawan should migrate from being a Senate Leader to the President of the Senate. At the end of the day, we are presenting Lawan for consideration.

    “Oshiomhole assured that the party will ensure a win-win situation for all, especially those aspiring for Senate presidency.”

    Another Senator-elect said: “Only the President and Oshiomhole spoke at the session in the Villa; we were not allowed any input. Lawan is mandated to reconcile with everybody and allow ranking senators to choose the committees they like.”

    Asked how they knew that Buhari endorsed Lawan, a senator-elect from North-Central said: “The President was by his side and his body language suggested the choice of Lawan.

    “Not only that the President in his remarks plainly said: ‘I thank the National Chairman of our party for making a difficult job for me much easier. I hope this will go as expected.’ Nobody needed any other signal from the President.”

    The President was said to have also earned some mileage at the session with some emotional words.

    A Senator from the Northeast said: “The President emotionally told us:  ‘I want to be remembered for something; I want to leave something for Nigerians. I need your support.”

    “Immediately after the President spoke, we all rose to sing the National Anthem.”

    Although the announcement of Lawan by Oshiomhole received much applause, it was shocking to other contestants for Senate president, including Senators Danjuma Goje; Ali Ndume and Abdullahi Adamu.

    A Senator from the Northwest said: “While Goje and Adamu took it in good faith, Ndume immediately protested to the APC governors at the meeting that what Oshiomhole did was unconstitutional.

    “He made his feelings known and he was obviously bitter with the development. What pained  Goje and Adamu  was that they were not consulted. They said they would have loved to be consulted by the President and the party.”

    Lawan has been mandated by the party and most senators-elect to reach out to Goje, Adamu and Ndume.

    A ranking Senator said: “We are working on how to appease all. We said all our leaders should reach out to these respected Senators aspiring to be Senate President and give them some comfort. We believe it is not too late for the President and APC leadership to consult Goje, Adamu and Ndume.

    “For instance, we have some proposals to  make Abdullahi Adamu Senate Leader and retain Goje as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

    “It was also agreed that all ranking senators be allowed  to choose the committees they like.”