Presidency2023: Nigerian Senators Divided Over Plan To Pick Ahmad Lawan As Consensus Candidate
Confirmed reports have claimed that there may be crisis among Senators in the coming days over the Senate caucus of the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) plot to endorse the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as the consensus presidential candidate of the parliament.
THECONSCIENCENG gathered that Lawan who has been at the National Assembly since 1999, is set to formally declare for the presidency this week.
It is understood that ahead of the Yobe-born-lawmaker’s declaration, there were plans to declare him as the consensus candidate of the Senate.
The move, it was gathered, was being promoted by some of his allies in the parliament including Senator Yusuf Yusuf (APC, Taraba), Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger) and a former lawmaker, Senator Abdullahi Gumel.
The development has, however, polarised the parliament, which is made of 71 APC, 37 PDP and one YPP member.
Many of the lawmakers are said to have pitched tents with other aspirants.
For instance, Senators Ali Ndume (APC, Borno), is leading the campaign for Amaechi, Senator Kashim Shettima (APC, Borno) is playing a leading role in Tinubu’s campaign, while Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano) is in charge of the campaigns of the vice president.
Aside from these three, there are other lawmakers who are involved in the campaigns of other aspirants, thus the moves to present Lawan as the consensus candidate has been hanging in the balance.