The emergence of Senator Ahmed Lawan as the majority leader of the Senate may be a pointer to the amicable resolution of the political rift within the All Progressives Congress.
Lawan replaces Ali Ndume, the former majority leader of the Senate. The change in mantle of leadership at the Senate was announced by the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.
Ndume at a press briefing was quoted to have said that he remains the senate leader. “I still remain Senate Leader”. He claimed to be unaware of his removal by the APC Senate Caucus.
The new post must be a pleasant birthday present to the Yobe state politician, who has been in the National Assembly since 1999, first as a member of the House of Representatives. He was first elected senator in 2007.
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Lawan was the choice of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu group for the Senate presidency in 2015. But on the day the Senate convened for its first plenary, Saraki, with the support of the minority PDP caucus seized control and took over the leadership.
Lawan was not even around to contest the seat, as he was held up at the International Conference Centre for a meeting, that never held, with President Muhammadu Buhari. Saraki’s emergence created divisions in the APC.
The crisis was accentuated when he refused to adopt Lawan and some other nominees of the party sent by the party leadership for various positions. In the blowout, Saraki himself was almost consumed as he and his deputy faced a charge of forging the senate rules. He also faced a charge at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Lawan represents Yobe north in the Senate. He will be 58 years old on Thursday.
