Lawan Woos PDP Senators With Juicy Chairmanship Slots

Fred Itua, Abuja

Major contenders for the position of the president of the Senate are making a last-minute push to consolidate on their successes.

The two contenders are Ahmad Lawan and Mohammed Ali Ndume from Yobe and Borno states respectively.

The APC and President Muhammadu Buhari have endorsed Lawan for the post. APC senators-elect equally gave him their support.

But Ndume said the endorsement of Lawan means nothing, as he has the votes of the senators-elect based on promises made.

In the midst of these, Daily Sun gathered that Lawan is making efforts to seal a deal with the caucus of the PDP.

Sources revealed that Lawan has offered to concede some committee chairmanship positions to members of the PDP if they would support him to emerge as Senate president.

Some of the committees, which incidentally were occupied by PDP members in the eighth Senate, include Power, Niger Delta, Agriculture, Interior and Petroleum (Downstream).

Based on precedents, ranking members are usually chairmen of committees. Besides Appropriation, Media and Publicity, and Legal matters, which are exclusive to ruling parties, members of other political parties can head other committees.

Meanwhile, five PDP senators-elect have openly identified with Ndume. They are Clifford Ordia, Mathew Urhoghide, Gershom Bassey, Abba Moro and Lawali Hassan Anka.

Speaking with Daily Sun, Senator Ordia said some PDP members were openly identifying with Lawan because the leadership of the party has not given an express instruction on who to support.

He said since the PDP may not field a candidate, the right thing to do was to support an APC senator with the right credentials to lead the next Senate.

Said he: “I am a member of the PDP and I have the right to support whoever I want. But as a loyal party man, I can’t go against my party. Unfortunately, my party, the PDP, has not taken a decision on who it will support.

“I think we are first senators before our political parties. As a Senate, we need someone with the right credentials like Lawan to lead the chamber. So, supporting him is in order.”