The spokesman of the Senator Ahmad Lawan for Senate President Group, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has stated that no fewer than 73 senators-elect across the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are backing Lawan for president in the Ninth Senate.
Also, the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North), promised to run an all- inclusive administration if elected the Senate president, saying the upper legislative chamber “is an institution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Lawan, who spoke through the spokesman of the group, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger North), told journalists on Thursday in Abuja that: “Given the track records of Lawan as an opposition member of National Assembly for 16 years, he understands the feelings of the opposition and would not abuse the privilege if elected.”
He said Lawan, the anointed candidate of the APC for the position, would get nothing less than two-thirds of votes during the inauguration of 9th Senate in early June.
“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 who 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,” he said.
Continuing, he said: “I can confirm to you that on the day of inauguration, Senator Ahmad Lawan will garner more than two-thirds 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.”
