As the dusts raised by the June 11 inauguration of the National Assembly and election of the presiding officers begin to settle, Ismail Omipidan, who has been following the developments, writes that immediate past Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, though fourth term unlucky leaves big shoes that would be quite tasking to fit in.
Once beaten in 2015, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), left no stone unturned to ensure it had its way in 2019 in the election of presiding officers of the Ninth Senate. It set out early by zoning the Senate President to Senator Ahmed Lawan (Yobe). Not leaving anything to chance, President Muhammadu Buhari, unlike 2015, brought the weight of his office to bear and reined in Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe), considered by many as Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) trump card.
“In spite of all the supports I have among my colleagues in the Senate, I have decided, in deference to the loyalty I have for President Muhammadu Buhari to respect his wish. I am hereby endorsing the candidature of Senator Ahmed Lawan”, Goje told state House correspondents after a meeting with President Buhari. The meeting was facilitated by Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) withdrew from the N25 billion corruption trial of the former Gombe governor the next day. Read more