There are palpable tensions in the camps of supporters
of the two prominent contenders in the race for the
presidency of the Sen apcate as the
National Working Committee of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) draws up criteria that would be used to
determine the best candidate for the post of Senate
President during the inauguration of the Eight Senate.
Recall that the NWC at its meeting held with President
Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday night had listed
certain critical which the next senate president must
possess.
The meeting had agreed that the party’s candidate for
the post must come from the geopolitical zone with the
second highest number of votes after the North West,
during the Presidential Election held on March 28.
The party leadership also agreed that the next senate
president must not have any corruption charges hanging
on his or her neck and should be one of the most ranking
senators in the current Fourth Republic.
A senator who attended the meeting told our
correspondent that the leadership of the party was
mandated to, within three days, present the most
eligible aspirant, as consensus candidate for the post,
based on the listed criteria, during inauguration, next
week.
The two gladiators currently contesting the office of the
Senate President are, Senators Bukola Saraki (Kwara
Central); and Ahmad Lawan ( Yobe North ).
Two groups, ”Like Minds Senators” and the “Senate
Unity Forum” who were supporting the candidature of
Saraki and Lawan respectively, had claimed to have
secured the endorsement of enough numbers of senators
to win the race.
While the Saraki camp compiled a list containing the
names of 34 APC senators -elect, the Lawan loyalists
claimed that 40 APC senators -elect, had endorsed the
Yobe senator, as their own consensus candidate
( without concrete evidence).
The development crated serious confusion because there
are just 59 APC senators-elect, expected to be
inaugurated in the eight senate following the death of
Ahmed Zannah ( Borno North ), last month.
Some elected senators who spoke with our
correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday, expressed fears
that the decision of the APC to use criteria, considered
strange to the rules of the Senate and constitution of the
country, could be counterproductive.
The party had planned to announce its preferred
candidate between Lawan and Saraki, during a meeting
with the senators -elect on Thursday (today), in Abuja.
But those who reacted to the issue urged the leadership
of the party to allow the most popular aspirant to
emerge through due process that would be free, fair,
credible and generally acceptable to all concerned.
Reacting on the development, coordinator of the like
minds senators-elect, Dino Melaye, cautioned the NWC
against too much interference in the affairs of the senate
because the upper legislative chamber is guided by
rules.
Melaye said, “The NWC is there to offer advice and not to
determine those who will contest leadership positions
on the floor of the senate. The constitution of Nigeria
and the rules of the Senate are clear on how a senate
president could emerge.

source

www.eaglereporters.com/2015/06/04/senate-presidency-panic-as-apc-adopts-consensus-candidate-today/

.Booked!
..may the best man clinch the post!

FTC! This land is dedcated to Kudirat Abiola.Today marked the 19th year of her demise.May her soul rest in peace.

FP please

If patriotism and the capacity to lead a progressive senate are the qualities desired,I don't see what the whole intrigues and horsetrading are for.

The truth remains that President Buhari must be very careful with the cabal evolving around him under the colours of party leadership.

Yes,democracy dictate negotiations and deliberations and even politicking to create leaders,but desperation on the part of the Tinubu-Lawan and Saraki groups shows everything but patriotism.

Bukola Saraki

Saraki for senate president. Lawan for deputy senate.

I support that criterion.

Saraki is the man for the Job, this is a man who stood against his own father's desire to make his sister a governor.

God, pls destroy any attempt to install Lawan who believes slashing the NASS budget should not even be a matter for debate.

Good move. SAI Change !!!