As the lobbying and skimming for the office of the Senate President in the 9th Assembly begins, the news of President Mohammadu Buhari backing a certain Senator Ahmed Lawan is one that should worry any progressive-minded individual who loves President Buhari and wants him to be successful in establishing a lasting legacy.

Perhaps those who are marketing Senator Lawan to President Buhari only mentioned the fact that he is a ranking senator with lengthy years of legislative experience. They also must certainly have reiterated his deceptive simplicity as a unique selling point. But that is as far as the good side of Lawal goes. Yet, anybody who wants to be first and among equals, especially in a volatile and combustible place like the senate with 109 members, needs a lot more to succeed.

To begin with, President Buhari is being sold a dummy with the image created of Senator Lawal as an open-minded individual who will provide the necessary legislative support in order to accelerate government programmes and policies. The truth, which has been cleverly hidden from Mr. President, is that Senator Lawal is merely a front for his masters who see him as a competent instrument to hold in case they lose favor in the sight of the President. Senator Lawal is merely contesting for the Senate President position on behalf of both Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the APC Chairman, Comrade Adam Oshiomole.

Although this is one of the best kept secrets since after the re-election of President Buhari for second term; insiders who are privy to the thinking and plans of Asiwaju Tinubu have shared this information with a number of people believed to be close to Mr. President. Whether or not the information has reached the President himself is an entirely new issue. However, for the unconditional love some of us have for PMB; I have taken it upon myself to warn the Presidency of the danger ahead of its chosen path with Lawal.

Information I have gathered from reliable sources within Asiwaju Tinubu camp indicates that Jagaban is not feeling secure since after the election. He felt that his inability to impressively deliver the South West for APC in the 2019 presidential election has significantly lowered his standing before President Buhari. He also suspects that PMB may begin to disengage from him immediately after his swearing in for second term in May. The absence of President Buhari at the yearly Bola Tinubu colloquium held yesterday, 28th March, 2019, even though the event took place in Abuja; was cited by some of Tinubu’s close political allies as a sign that Buhari is beginning to show Jagaban the red flag. To therefore prepare for what my source called ‘the imminent war’, Chief Bola Tinubu has decided to place the control of National Assembly firmly in the hands of his longtime associate, Senator Ahmed Lawan.

Already, Tinubu has secured the backing and cooperation of the party’s national chairman, Comrade Adam Oshiomole who has taken it upon himself to play the devil’s advocate around President Buhari while at the same time marketing the candidacy of Lawan to as many members of the party’s NWC as possible. The truth, which I have validated from more than three of my usually reliable sources, is that Tinubu is in alliance with Oshiomole to plant Senator Ahmed Lawan as the Senate President as a plan B option in case President Buhari begins to show Tinubu cold shoulders.

In desperation, Senator Lawan, who has been in the National Assembly since 1999, first as a member of House of Representatives and in the Senate since 2007 to date; has pledged to serve the interest of Tinubu and Oshiomole, two southerners who will not be affected by any irresponsible act that Senator Lawal may perpetrate when and if he becomes the President of the Senate. For someone like Senator Lawal who has been in the Senate for almost twenty years without any verifiable benefit to his constituency in Yobe State; pandering to the dictates of Tinubu and Oshiomole would not be a challenging thing to do. Moreover, Senator Lawal himself has told his associates that if he succeed in becoming the Senate President; then all praises and thanks should go to Asiwaju Tinubu who has committed himself to getting him (Lawan) into that office since 2015.

Indeed, the Senate President position is zoned to the North East. But of what benefit will a Senator Lawan be to the zone if he is micromanaged by southerners? Again, it is not as if Lawal’s long years in the senate have translate to deep experience; if one remembers that as Chairman of the 7th Senate Committee on public finance, all the financial atrocities that Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as CBN governor alleged under Goodluck Jonathan was traced back to the same Senator Ahmed Lawan. What would therefore be the justification for a PMB whose singular trademark is integrity to now be seen openly endorsing and canvassing for a tainted man to lead the senate. This is not something I think President Buhari can justify either to himself or his conscience.

If President Buhari is looking for a strong character to manage the senate, he needs to look beyond an enemy presently disguised as friend. If for any reason Lawal becomes the senate president, then PMB must know that he has handed over the legislative arm of government to Tinubu to control as he deem fit. If that happens, I guarantee that it is a gaffe that President Buhari would come back to regret in no distant time. I pray God opens the inner eyes of the President and his men to see beyond the dummies that is being sold to them about Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan.

I hate it when people claim to be master strategists when they know nothing.

It is people like you that tried to pitch the prezident against Osinbajo claiming he's Tinubu's mole.

Oga we''ve noticed you, oya go back to oblivion.

Lawan emerging through APC will surely be better than another saraki emerging, it shows togetherness.

Said it..
Oshiomhole and tinubu zoning down on gbaja n lawan..tag it APC decision..

We know..

But what is not clear is if the strong men in Senate will like to be control by tinubu..for his selfish reason..

Senate with many past governors..long serving senators...money bags..and godfather's in their own right ..to be control and condition by tinubu ...is a no no.the 8 the Senate played the northern card and push the power drunk tinubu out..

Even Buhari played them to a meeting to allow saraki take over ..sent him to CCT after a while .. nothing was heard..even zombies argued with pachukwudi told him saraki will be out in weeks..thinking the north send tinubu..Las Las it was tinubu that was dropped only to be picked and made chairman 7months to elections..
While saraki did complete his term..even decamped with sp to opposition..yet nothing happened.

In politics ..aboki master..they make you believe you're in charge ..then pull a fast one ..come back and blow you like rat.

Lawan and gbaja..are bound to fail and won't make it to the sp or speaker..

Is not far again.

The north will play dia politics... They are wise ..and the results will be out.

Remember they're majority..

After may 29..
Interesting times ahead.. politics of 2023 is about to begin

Are we even practising democracy in this country at all

I know too well that Lawan can never emerge as the next Senate President, this is practically impossible for the dullard at the helms of affair to spin. The PDP/Factor will still bite. Interesting times ahead ...... Tinubu is only wasting his time.

GavelSlam:


When Pelosi was speaker under Obama, America stopped practising democracy abi?

Obama didn't impose Pelosi on the congress. That is the difference. Goje for SP lawan must be defeated by the majority to assert legislative independence.

OP, is this about Tinubu or Lawan? I can bet you mentioned Tinubu far more than Lawan in this your crass write up.

You losers should give it up already. There is no division between the leadership of APC. Buhari, Tinubu, Osinbajo, Oshiomhole, Lawan, Goje, Adamu etc are all on the same page as regards the leadership of the incoming 9th assembly. Ahmed Lawan will emerge as SP while Gbajabiamila is the next speaker. If you are not happy, use the lagoon.

GavelSlam:


And who has imposed Lawan?

Since when did having a preferred candidate become imposotion?

It is imposition cos that is strictly a legislative corridor. Buhari/apc/oshiomole/tinubu open endorsement of Lawan will backfire and people like you will scream murder!


Goje will defeat Lawan or any other senator the totality of the senate so desire. It is about their independence.

The only way out is for apc to have just one candidate but, once an option exists aside Lawan that option will defeat him.

seunmsg:
OP, is this about Tinubu or Lawan? I can bet you mentioned Tinubu far more than Lawan in this your crass write up.

You losers should give it up already. There is no division between the leadership of APC. Buhari, Tinubu, Osinbajo, Oshiomhole, Lawan, Goje, Adamu etc are all on the same page as regards the leadership of the incoming 9th assembly. Ahmed Lawan will emerge as SP while Gbajabiamila is the next speaker. If you are not happy, use the lagoon.

Be deceiving yourself.

Ahmed Lawan has been Buhari's choice for Senate President from day one. Tinubu's choice in 2015 was George Akume but when he saw that the president was rooting for Lawan he supported him. Tinubu's interest from 2015 was how to make Gbajabiamila to become the speaker. His interest has never been to install a Senate President. Tambuwal acknowledged this in a recent interview.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/my-transactions-with-tinubu-tambuwal/

So stop twisting facts and history.

see apc zombies fighting themselves o.

GavelSlam:


It is not imposition as we have the freewill to have preference.

If you say it isn't doesn't it also mean you are imposing Goje?

Buhari from time has said he can work with anybody.

At the end a choice would be made and we would all be here to witness it.

Goje is currently the choice of the majorityof the senators. The moment a candidate is openly backed by buhari/tinubu/oshiomole such becomes a no for the matured freewill men and women of the senate.

Shebi it will be secret ballot on the floor of the senate. We shall see whether a non voting person can determine NASS leadership.

tuniski:


Goje is currently the choice of the majorityof the senators. The moment a candidate is openly backed by buhari/tinubu/oshiomole such becomes a no for the matured freewill men and women of the senate.

Shebi it will be secret ballot on the floor of the senate. We shall see whether a non voting person can determine NASS leadership.

My Oga, Goje has backed down his ambition. He is not that kind of politician. He earned my respect when he did not defect even when he had every reason to defect considering the way he was treated by the police who ransacked his house as if he was common criminal. He remained with the party and worked for the success of the party in the state.

Besides it was in the news this week that he has been pacified and that he retain the chairmanship of Appropriations committee.

PDP are quiet strategizing while APC are busy disturbing the cyber space with noise. The PDP got block votes to deliver to candidates of their choice but the APC votes will splits as there may be more than one contender. At the end, the PDP will decide the next Senate President

It's quite obvious that these wailers can't get sleep over the fact that there appears to be no division this time around and the SP is heading towards a consensus.

So they have begun their usual campaign of calumny.

Over the years PDP always had their way with the SP, the DSP and the Speaker HOR.

So I wonder why it hurts them so much for APC to have their way.

tesppidd:
It's quite obvious that these wailers can't get sleep over the fact that there appears to be no division this time around and the SP is heading towards a consensus.

So they have begun their usual campaign of calumny.

Over the years PDP always had their way with the SP, the DSP and the Speaker HOR.

So I wonder why it hurts them so much for APC to have their way.

it is called politics. Get used to it

kahal29:


My Oga, Goje has backed down his ambition. He is not that kind of politician. He earned my respect when he did not defect even when he had every reason to defect considering the way he was treated by the police who ransacked his house as if he was common criminal. He remained with the party and worked for the success of the party in the state.

Besides it was in the news this week that he has been pacified and that he retain the chairmanship of Appropriations committee.

Leave all the long talk, on the day of inauguration we shall know who is in and who has backed out. Surprise is the name of the game. APC should watch it.

Goje remaining in apc might even be his own strategy to senate presidency.

They are at it again. All these 50kobo writers.
You guys have forgotten that in 2015, Lawan was Buhari candidate while Tinubu was rooting for another person entirely.

Whenever you PDP guys failed in your evil project, instead of you to repent you jump on another one.

Dannyset:
They are at it again. All these 50kobo writers.
You guys have forgotten that in 2015, Lawan was Buhari candidate while Tinubu was rooting for another person entirely.

Whenever you PDP guys failed in your evil project, instead of you to repent you jump on another one.

Allow politicians to play politics . Pdp kaza kaza only shows apc as politically naive.

This person sat down in the corner of his or her room nd conjure this? Twale o