Oshiomhole, Lawan, Umahi, Yari, Akpabio, Others Begin Lobbying For Senate President

The jostling and politicking for principal offices, particularly the position of Senate President, ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June, has commenced amongst lawmakers-elect and major stakeholders.

The lobbying has begun and is expected to intensify when the senators-elect reconvene after the March 18 Governorship/House of Assembly election short break, but whoever becomes the nation’s number three citizen would be largely dependent on the zoning of the office, among other principal offices, by the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The expectation is quite high that the Senate President’s seat will be zoned to the Southeast by the ruling party to pacify those angered by the party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket and the Igbos who missed out from the presidential contest in all the parties at a time the clamour for a president of Southeast extraction was undeniably very high.

According to Sunday Sun, the incumbent President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, Orji Uzor Kalu, Barau Jibrin, Godswill Akpabio, Dave Umahi, Abdul-Aziz Yari, and Adams Oshiomhole, are among those eyeing the plum position.

It was gathered that those jostling for the President of the 10th National Assembly had started subtle campaigns among their colleagues.

According to party sources, the APC leadership is said to be well inclined to avoid another Muslim-Muslim leadership for the top job in Senate. The party is keen on avoiding being labeled a Muslim party.

Observers are of the view that the support Ahmad Lawan enjoyed from a faction of the presidency, which made a failed move to present him as the APC consensus presidential candidate, might work against him. Those that subscribe to this view believe Tinubu’s sarcastic comments after winning the ticket of the party, that Lawan should “go and lick his wounds”, was enough warning for Lawan to dump his ambition to lead the red chamber for a second term.

According to Sun, Orji Uzor Kalu, apart from making moves among his colleagues, has started reaching out to sitting APC governors, whose states produced APC senators in the just concluded National Assembly elections.

None of the aspirants for Sthe enate Presidency has properly or officially signified intention to vie for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.