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Tag: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

  • Atiku, PDP to tribunal: Why we don’t want Bulkachuwa

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last presidential election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have made public reasons for their opposition to the involvement of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa in the hearing of the petition.

    Atiku and the PDP are, by their petition, challenging the outcome of the 2019 presidential election,won by President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Their reasons for seeking Justice Bulkachuwa’s exclusion from the five-man panel, scheduled to hear the petition is contained in a fresh motion filed on Thursday by Atiku and the PDP.

    They claimed that Bulkachuwa’s husband – Honourable Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa – and her son – Allyu Haidar Abubakar -are members of the APC.

    Atiku and the PDP stated that while her husband was elected as Senator for Bauchi North Senatorial District on the platform of the APC in the last general elections, her son contested the last governorship election in Gombe, as candidate of the APC, but lost.

    They equally stated the Justice Bulkachuwa has prejudged the outcome of their petition, when she said, in her speech at the inaugural sitting of Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) on May 6 this year, gave the impression that the last elections were well conducted.

    Atiku and the PDP have therefore called on Justice Bulkachuwa to withdraw from the hearing of their petition.

    In the motion, Atiku and the PDP are particularly praying for “an order that His Lordship, the honourable Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa, (President of the Court of Appeal) and the Presiding Justice of the Panel hearing petition No: CA/PEPC/2019 be recused from further sitting or participating in the proceedings in this petition and be replaced by another Justice of this honourable court to sit in his place to hear and determine the petition.”

    They said the grounds on which the prayer is sought, include that “Honourable Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa (President of the Court of Appeal) and the Presiding Justice of the Panel hearing the petition against the election of the 2nd and 3rd respondents (Buhari and APC) is the wife of Honourable Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa, a prominent card carrying member of the 3rd respondent and the Senator-elect for Bauchi North Senatorial District on the platform of the 3rd respondent in this petition, which is also the 2nd respondent’s political party.

    Read Also: Good governance alien to PDP, says BMO

    “Honourable Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa (President of the Court of Appeal) and the Presiding Justice of the Panel hearing the petition against the election of the 2nd and 3rd respondents, is the biological mother of Allyu Haidar Abubakar, a prominent card carrying member of the 3rd respondent, who was a gubernatorial aspirant in Gombe State at the last general elections, on the platform of the 3rd respondent.

    “Being the wife and mother of prominent card carrying members of the 3rd respondent as aforesaid having a common interest with the 2nd and 3rd respondents in the subject matter of this petition, there is every likelihood of bias if Honourable Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa remains the Presiding Justice/member of the panel hearing this petition.

    “At the inaugural session of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, while delivering her inaugural speech, Honourable Justice Bulkachuwa stated as follows: ‘Elections are held in Nigeria every four years into elective positions. No matter how well the election is conducted there are bound to be complaints…’

    “By making that remark, it would appear that Honourable Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa had already prejudged the presidential election as “well” conducted and that this petition is one of the complaints that come up “no matter how well the election is conducted”.

    “Justice must not only be done, but must be manifestly seen to have been done.”

    The PEPT had, at its last sitting on May 16, 2019 ordered Atiku and the PDP to communicate their objection to Justice Bulkachuwa through a formal application.

    Lawyer to Atiku and the PDP, Livy Uzoukuwu had, at the last sitting of the tribunal, raised the issue orally during a meeting he sought and was granted with members of the tribunal in Chambers.

    Proceedings of the tribunal were suspended midway on May 16 to allow for the meeting in chambers demanded by Uzoukwu.

    When proceedings resumed over an hour later, Justice Bulkachuwa, who is the tribunal’s Chairman, said since the issue was already in public domain, it should be addressed in the open court, with the PDP and Atiku raising it formally through a motion, to which the respondents are entitled to respond.

    The panel adjourned till May 22 this year for hearing of the motion.

     

     

  • Presidency to PDP: Stop your smear campaign against Judiciary

    The Presidency has admonished the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop dragging the presidency into their current sponsored media smear campaign against the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa.

    Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, made the appeal in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

    He observed that the reports claiming that an agency of the government, the Department of State Services (DSS) has indicted Bulkachuwa of corruption were the latest of this sponsored campaign.

    The presidential aide noted that the campaign was aimed at causing disaffection between the Executive and the Judiciary, the two arms of government that had operated smoothly under the present dispensation.

    “While the PDP and its candidates are free to exercise their right to challenge the results of the 2019 presidential election, it is unacceptable to drag the name of the President or other organs of the executive branch into the campaign of character assassination against the President of the Court of Appeal.

    “The DSS doesn’t conduct its duties in the manner so described and you can’t use a fake security report to drag the presidency into a smear campaign against the President of the Court of Appeal.

    Read Also: APC governors’ award to Buhari endorsement of failure —PDP

    “Attacking judges because the outcomes of cases don’t favour you and keeping quiet when the verdict is in your favour smacks of insincerity, double standard and mischief.

    “Intimidating and impugning the character of judges in order to force them to bow to blackmail is against the spirit of an independent judiciary,’’ he said.

    Shehu further observed that the PDP praised the verdict of the Osun gubernatorial election tribunal because it favoured them, but they were singing a different tune because they lost the appeal.

    He said: “We cannot keep changing the definition of an independent judiciary to suit our political convenience and bias without ultimately creating chaos in the system.

    “If the PDP continues to blackmail and smear judges with fake news stories, we will ultimately find ourselves dealing with a situation where judges may be afraid to handle cases, thereby creating delays in the dispensation of justice.’’

    The presidential aide maintained that if the presidency had any influence on election petition tribunals, APC candidates would not have lost a single case before the courts.

    NAN

  • Sen. Adeleke reacts to Appeal Court judgement

    Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Osun 2018 Governorship Election said he had instructed his counsels to challenge the appeal court judgement which upheld Gov. Gboyega Oyetola’s election at the Supreme court.

    Adeleke, in a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo on Thursday said he received the appeal court judgement with dissatisfaction.

    According to him, the judgment of the appeal court relied on weak technical foundation, while the substantive issue which formed the basis of the lower tribunal judgement was relegated to the background.

    “I received with dissatisfaction the judgement of the Court of Appeal on the ruling of the election petition tribunal which had duly returned me as the validly elected governor of Osun state.

    “I have subsequently instructed my counsel to prepare for an appeal against today’s judgement at the Supreme Court immediately.

    “Today’s judgement relied on weak technical foundation.

    “The substantive issue which formed the basis of the lower tribunal judgement was relegated to the background.

    Read Also: Breaking: Court to rule on Adeleke’s trip to U.S.

    “We are reviewing the full ruling and action has already commenced to appeal the judgement and ensure the eventual retrieval of the stolen mandate,” Adeleke said.

    He, however, urged the people of the state not to be downcast, saying that the struggle for good governance and retrieval of People’s mandate cannot be truncated by any flawed judgement.

    “We are taking the legal battle further to the topmost court in the land. I am confident the apex court will upturn today’s unsustainable ruling.

    “To all members of PDP in Osun State and my campaign organisation, the struggle is now at the most critical stage.

    “We cannot waiver nor slow down. We must forge ahead in high spirit until final victory is attained.

    “In this endeavour, I promise to provide the leadership as the genuine governorship mandate holder in Osun State” Adeleke said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal nullified the judgment of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

    The tribunal had in its verdict of Friday, March 22, 2019, declared the PDP and its candidate, Sen. Adeleke, the winner of the Sept. 22, 2018 polls.

    However, Justice Jummai Sankey, read the lead judgment of the Court of Appeal on Thursday. Justices Abubakar Yahaya, Isaiah Akeju and Bitrus Sanga agreed with the lead verdict.

    A fifth member of the appellate court, Justice Ita Mbaba, disagreed and upheld the election tribunal’s verdict that gave the victory to Adeleke.

    NAN

  • Osun gov dispute: Appeal Court delivers judgment Thursday

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja will on Thursday deliver judgments in three appeals and a cross-appeal filed against the majority judgment given in March 22, 2019 by the Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal.

    The court made this known in the hearing notices it sent to parties, a copy of which The Nation sighted in Abuja on Wednesday.

    The tribunal had, in the majority judgment, given by two of its three members, upheld the petition  by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the governorship election held in the state on September 22 and 27, 2018 Senator Ademola Adeleke.

    The tribunal’s majority judgment reversed the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Adegboyega Oyetola and declared the PDP and Adeleke winners.

    Oyetola, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) filed substantive appeals, seeking the setting aside of the majority decision, Adeleke filed across-appeal, challenging a portion of the decision.

    At the hearing of the appeals on April 24, Oyetola, the APC and INEC prayed the five-man panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Jummai Sankey, to set aside the majority decision of the tribunal, uphold their appeals and dismiss the October 16, 2018 petition by Adeleke and the PDP.

    They equally urged the court to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by Adeleke, on the grounds that it is unmeritorious.

    Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who argued the appeal by Oyetola, faulted the reasons given by the tribunal in reaching the judgment appealed against, arguing that the decision was not supported by the evidence led by the petitioners.

    He urged the court to void the judgment because the judge, Justice Peter Obiorah who wrote and delivered it, did not participate in all the proceedings of the tribunal.

    Olanipekun noted that “the judge, who did not sit, came to write the leading judgment and reviewed the evidence of the February 6, 2019 proceedings where he was absent.

    “Adjudication is like video watching. It cannot be done by proxy. The judge cannot analyse the evidence of a witness, whose demeanour he did not observe. The judgement should be declared a nullity on this ground alone”

    Olanipekun, who said he and some named senior lawyers were at the tribunal on February 6, 2019, faulted the argument by lawyer to Adeleke and the PDP that it was not clear from the record of proceedings, whether or not Justice Obiorah was absent on the particular day.

    Read Also: Court remands two persons over armed robbery in Osun

    He argued that the judge’s failure to sigh at the end of the proceedings on February 6, 2019 was enough evidence to justify the appellant’s claim that Justice Obiorah was absent on the day in question.

    Olanipekun also faulted the tribunal’s cancellation of results in 17 polling units in the state, and noted that the petitioners did not tender any result of the election before the tribunal.

    “If there was no result before the tribunal, the tribunal could not have cancelled what was not before it. Since no single result was submitted and could not have been cancelled,” he said.

    He argued that the tribunal went beyond its powers by annulling  results in the 17 polling units in order to justify its the judgement it gave in favour of the petitioners.

    Lawyer to the APC, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), while arguing the party’s appeal, contended that the tribunal was wrong to have allowed the petition, which was incurably incompetent.

    “The 1st and 2nd respondents sought to be declared winner of the election, held on September 22, 2018, which was declared inconclusive. They also asked the tribunal to void the rerun election held on September 27, 2018, because they believed it was unlawful.

    “You cannot say you should be declared a winner on the election that you said was unlawful and void,” he said.

    Olujinmi accused the tribunal of exceeding its jurisdiction when it engaged in amending the petitioners’ reliefs to make them grantable.

    “No tribunal has the jurisdiction to reframe, amend  or formulate reliefs for the petitioners.

    “On realising that the reliefs could not be granted, they (members of the tribunal) amended the reliefs and granted it by themselves.

    “We are saying the tribunal has no power to amend a petitioner’s reliefs. The much they ought to do, on realising that the reliefs could not be granted, was to have dismissed the petition.”

    He further faulted the tribunal for holding that the petitioners proved its case of non-compliance in respect of the polling units where it voided results.

    Olujinmi added: “The tribunal was wrong. They cannot use the allegation of non-compliance directed at the election of September 27 against the election of September 22.

    “The tribunal relied on certified true copy of Form EC8A, which they said were dumped on the tribunal. This was what they still relied on to nullify results in the polling units in which they said malpractices were proved.The so called non-complaince did not affect the result of the election,” Olujinmi said.

    He argued that the tribunal went outside its powers and contravened Section 140(2) of the Electoral Act when it  engaged in the deduction of votes from the outcome of the election to arrive at the decision it gave.

    Lawyer to INEC, Yusuf Ali (SAN) who argued in similar manner, contended that the tribunal erred in its majority judgment, particularly as regards the issue of non-compliance.

    He noted that the tribunal, having found that accreditation was properly done and that all witnesses agreed that the votes scored were not affected by the omissions noted in some result sheets, ought not to have voided any results.

    Citing Section 134 (b) of the Electoral Act, Ali argued that  non-compliance means not compliance with the provision of the Act, not an act of omission on the part of INEC officials,  which are not contrary to the provision of the Act.

    Ali also argued that since the tribunal held that the petitioners did not prove over-voting and non-compliance, it ought not to have turned around to void votes in some polling units.

    On the question of why INEC did not call it witnesses at the tribunal, Ali said it was unnecessary because the petitioners did not not discharge the burden of prove placed on them by the law to warrant INEC to call fresh witnesses.

    Ali added: “There is no law that said INEC most call witnesses, since the petitioners could not discharge the responsibility of proving their declarative reliefs, there was no need for INEC to have called its own witnesses.”

    Lawyer to Adeleke and the PDP, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) faulted the three appeals and the arguments proffered by Olanipekun, Olujinmi and Ali.

    Ikpeazu argued that the tribunal was right in its decision to have declared Adeleke and his party as the winner of the election.

    He faulted the argument that Justice Obiorah did not participate in all the proceedings of the tribunal, arguing that there was no sufficient evidence to that effect.

    Ikpeazu urged the court to dismiss the three appeals and uphold the judgment of the tribunal.

    Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), who argued Adeleke’s cross-appeal, urged the court to allow his client’s appeal and reverse the portion of the judgment, where the tribunal rejected the evidence the petitioners lead in relation to six polling units.

    Ogunwumiju argued that the tribunal wrongly excluded some of its evidence, because while it called 23 witnesses to prove it’s allegation of non-compliance in 23 polling units, the tribunal only upheld 17 where it voided elections.

    Olanipekun, Olujinmi and Ali argued that the cross appeal was incompetent on several grounds and urged the tribunal to reject it.

    At the conclusion of proceedings that lasted over eight hours, the presiding judge, Justice Sankey said judgments would be reserved till a later date.

    She told parties that the date of the judgment would be communicated to them by the court’s Registry.

    Other members of the court’s five-man panel are: Justices Abubakar Datti Yahaya, Ita George Mbaba, Isaiah Olufemi Akeju and Bitrus Sanga.

  • Sokoto not your origin- Group tells Atiku

    Contrary to his claim of Sokoto as origin, a group under the auspices of ‘Concerned Citizens of Sokoto State, has disowned the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party  (PDP), and Nigeria’s former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar., saying that, he should look for his origin elsewhere and not Sokoto State.

    The Sokoto State Coordinator of the Group, retired Squadron Leader Aminu Bala Sokoto, disclosed this when he addressed newsmen in Sokoto .

    According to the former Airforce Senior Officer, “Atiku who is now over 72 years old has never associated himself with Wurno , headquarters of Wurno Local Government of Sokoto State,  where he claims his grandfather hailed from .

    “His false and atrocious claim is just coming now that he is being bogged down by a protracted electoral litigation sequel to the 2019 Presidential elections.

    “He is now claiming to hail from Sokoto and Jigawa States. He has forgotten that, in 2003 he had maliciously described the people of Sokoto, Kano and the other North Western States as ungrateful  power zealots”.

    Read Also: I’m a Nigerian by birth, Atiku replies APC

    Retired squadron leader Aminu Bala Sokoto said the people of Wurno and by extension, Sokoto State are strongly and vehemently rejecting and dispensing Aitku Abubakar.

    He challenged the defeated Presidential candidate to in the alternative substantiate his false claim by making public his ancestral family in Wurno town .

    “Otherwise, he should look elsewhere and search for his origin and not anywhere near Wurno, in particular or Sokoto State in general.

     

  • Dickson probes activities of PDP leaders, aides in last elections

    Ahead of the November 2nd governorship election, the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, at the weekend, inaugurated committees to investigate the activities of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders and his appointed aides at the just-concluded general elections in the state.

    It was gathered that the party leaders, commissioners and other aides were apprehensive following the insistence of Dickson that they must render accounts of their actions in the last elections.

    But the governor while inaugurating the panels christened Stock Taking Committees at the Government House, Yenagoa, said they were not designed to enforce discipline in the party adding that issues of sanctions remained the exclusive preserve of the PDP leadership.

    Dickson, who was represented by his Deputy and Central Chairman of the committees, Rear Admiral John Jonah, said: “These committees are to evaluate the performances and roles played by party leaders and government appointees in the last election in the state and ensure the enforcement of operation deliver your units.

    “The assignment given to the committees is not aimed at enforcing discipline in the party. Issues of discipline are exclusive preserve of the party leadership.

    “All party members, appointees of restoration government are directed to cooperate fully with the committees, the results of various units will be submitted to the party chairman by the Secretary to PDP”.

    Read Also: How my successor will emerge, by Dickson

    The governor charged the committees to be fair to all members and to avoid looking at their assignments as opportunities to settle old scores.

    He gave them seven days to submit their reports and urged them to get all required materials from the party leadership.

    Addressing the committees, he said: “You are working for the interest of the party. So, if you make mistakes in some places we will correct you.

    “Go with open mind and your report will be submitted in the central working committee within seven days or one working week and we expect you to get everything needed for your work through the party”.

    The committees were inaugurated in each local government area with Brass, Kolokuma-Opokuma, Ogbia, Ekeremor and Sagbama having six members each.

    While committee in Nembe Local Government Area comprised eight members, those of Southern Ijaw and Yenagoa have seven members each.

    In his response, the Chairman of Brass Committee, Sam Ateke, described the assignment as very important saying it was aimed at repositioning the party ahead of the election.

    He said: “The committee at the central level chaired by the deputy governor himself indeed shows the importance that is attached to the job expected to be done.

    “In that case we that are appointed as chairmen and members thank the governor for finding us worthy to be appointed to serve at these levels.

    “I want to on behalf of my colleagues say that we understand the intentions of the party and we know the importance attached to it.

    “PDP at state level wants to do everything possible to see that we have gone through one election by the grace of God and we have done well. We are going to face another election and we need to reposition the party”.

     

  • How my successor will emerge, by Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, at the weekend said his successor would not come from his pocket insisting that such decision was too important to be made by one person.

    Dickson explained that the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that would take his place would emerge through intense prayers and consultations.

    The governor, according to a statement by his Special Adviser, Media, Fidelis Spriwei, spoke at the Monthly Praise Night and the 8th edition of the Easter Cantata programme organised by his administration in Yenagoa on Saturday night.

    Ahead of the November 2nd governorship election, the governor emphasised on the need for all well-meaning Bayelsans and friends of the state to pray for its continued stability and peace.

    He also urged the people to seek the face of God for his divine direction as the PDP embarked on the search for the next governor of the state.

    Dickson said he had prayed the state should not be handed over to a person who had no regard for the authority’ of God.

    “My position on who succeeds me is firmly anchored on the belief that God does not only give power but truly rules in the affairs of men,” he said.

    He expressed gratitude to the clergy and people of the state for their prayers and support in the past seven years, attributing his achievements in office to the mercies of God.

    He said: “I will not cease thanking God and you the clergymen and indeed the good people of our state for the prayers and encouragement and support you are giving to me and my team.

    “We have achieved a lot in the past seven years because of your support and the mercies of God in spite of the meaningless distractions to destabilize our state which has been adjudged as the most stable in the Niger Delta.

    Read Also: Dickson accuses military of terrorism

    “But as usual, let me call on all of us to use this period of Easter, which is a period for sober reflection, to continue to invite the presence of God in our state.

    “We must not relent in our prayers because the enemies of our land are planning hard to destroy the peace and stability we have laboured to build.

    “But we have nothing to fear. They put their trust in chariots, weapons and connections in Abuja but we trust in the Almighty God who has always saved us.

    “Since we handed over our government to God, we have been reinforcing it through prayers and positive declarations that this state which I call the Jerusalem of the Ijaw nation shall not be handed over again to anybody who does not fear the authority of the Almighty God above.

    “I will formally invite everybody in this state to pray because I feel that the next leader of our state is not going to be selected from my pocket. No I won’t do that; it’s too important a decision to come from one person.

    “That is why we have to first commit it as a burden to God so that we can be guided not by the whims, thoughts, desires and calculations of men but by His divine will and direction. After the prayers, then I will engage on intensive consultations.

    “For all those who are thinking of being part of this equation, I prescribe same for you. Don’t overheat the system because we still have a lot to do for our state even in the remaining months.”

     

  • Lawmaker suspended for interrupting Ekiti speaker

    The Ekiti Assembly House of Assembly on Tuesday suspended member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Segun Adewumi, representing Ekiti West constituency 1, for six weeks for alleged legislative misconduct.

    The suspension of the lawmaker was attributed to undue interruption of Speaker Adeniran Alagbada, while presiding over the House at the plenary on Tuesday.

    Following the verbal exchange, the Speaker was said to have exercised his powers and suspended him from plenary session in consonance with section 17 of the Assembly’s standing order.

    According to the speaker, the former Deputy Speaker during the period on suspension will be prevented from participating in any plenary session but could only involve in off- plenary activities of the house.

    “I am still the presiding officer of this house and it constitutes an infraction for any member to interrupt me when I preside, except you have an observation to make.

    “But with what transpired today, it seems Hon. Adewumi did not make any observation but only wanted to stall this proceeding and he is hereby banned for six weeks”.

    Other lawmakers in their submissions agreed with the action, saying the speaker didn’t circumvent the constitution and standing order in meting out the punitive measure on Adewumi.

    Read Also: Herdsmen kill two, injure three in Ekiti

    After the pronouncement, the lawmaker was said to have been ushered out of the hallowed chambers by the sergeant-at-arm.

    Discussing other issues of public importance after the initial face-off, a bill for a law to repeal Ekiti state official logo amendment law number 28 of 2014 and to re -enact Ekiti state government official logo law 2011 was passed by the Assembly.

    The bill, which passed through the first reading, was subjected to the second reading where it was debated by members and consequently passed through the third reading.

    Also, the Ekiti state development and investment promotion Agency Bill 2019 also passed through the first reading and committed to another legislative day for further legislative processes.

    However, the screening and confirmation of some Political appointees at the House fixed for today was shifted on the request of the Executive.

  • Breaking: PDP wins Rivers supplementary elections

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has won the four  House of Assembly supplementary and re-run elections in Rivers state.

    The elections were conducted in Abua/Odual, Ahoada West, Gokana and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cancelled the March 9, 2019 Assembly elections in the areas following electoral violence.

    Read Also: Supplementary polls: PDP leads in Rivers

    INEC on Sunday declared Sokolo Solomon, winner of the Abua/Odual constituency with 55, 944 votes.

    In Ahoada West LGA, Okpokiri Nwanaka polled 32,574, to clinch victory.

    Also, Dumle Maol of Gokana constituency was declared winner after scoring 55,319 votes.

    The House of Assembly seat for Opobo/Nkoro constituency was won by Adonye Diri after he had scored 7,713.

     

     

  • Lawan will run inclusive Senate, says Abdullahi

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, on Wednesday assured Senator Ahmad Lawan Presidency will be all inclusive irrespective of political and party leanings.

    Abudllahi, who is also the spokesperson Ahmad Lawan for Senate Presidency, assured that Lawan would garner the votes of more than 73 senators on the day of inauguration.

    He told reporters in Abuja that the aspiration of Lawan is to have a Senate that will work for Nigeria and Nigerians.

    He said that Lawan has been working assiduously to talk to senators-elect across party lines on why he should be elected.

    Abdullahi noted that given the track record of Senator Lawan in his 16 years of being in the National Assembly, the Yobe North senator understands the feelings of the opposition “because he was one of them before and he will not abuse that privilege.”

    Read Also: Lawan and the quest for NASS leadership

    He said the notion by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators that they would be excluded should be withdrawn forthwith.

    What they were planning to do, he said, is to have a Senate that will be for all senators.

    Abdullahi said: “Senator Ahmad Lawan is leaving no stone unturned in talking to his colleagues across party lines. Let me say very clearly that the nature of parliament is such that you cannot shut anybody out. It is not possible.

    “I want Nigerians to look at those of us who are the actors and take note of what we say. That is the most important thing.

    “I want to submit and assure Nigerians that by the special grace of God, if Senator Ahmad Lawan gets there, he will run an all- inclusive government because the Senate is the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “The 109 senators are individual senators representing the various senatorial districts in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They have inalienable rights to be heard and listened to for government to work for them no matter our differences and no matter the sentiments that we share.

    “When we took our oath of office, we pledged not to allow personal interest to override the public interest.

    “Let me say very clearly that our aspiration is to have the senate that works for Nigeria.

    “I know that given the track records of Senator Lawan in his 16 years of being in the National Assembly, he understands the feelings of the opposition because he was one of them before and he will not abuse that privilege.

    “The notion from the PDP side that they would be excluded should be withdrawn forthwith. What we are planning to do is to have a senate that will be for all senators.

    “I can confirm to you that on the day of inauguration, Senator Ahmad Lawan will garner more than two third of the votes.

    “Not less than 73 from both the APC and the PDP. It is a matter of engagement. We don’t need to flaunt those who are with us. We have to respect our colleagues.

    “We are engaging them one-on-one. We want to work together with the executive because we have just one Federal Government in Nigeria and we must move the country forward.

    “We are talking to our colleagues, working on our colleagues who will vote on the floor of the Senate on the day of inauguration.

    “By the grace of God, so far so good, we are very much convinced, based on the reception that is being accorded during our campaigns.

    “We have been able to reach a lot of our colleagues except those who are outside the country.”