Senate Presidency: Reasons Why Lawan Defeated Ndume
Senator Ahmed Lawan of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday emerged President of the 9th Senate.
Lawan defeated Senator Ali Ndume with total votes of 79 to 28. Here is a look at five reasons why Lawan defeated Ndume:
· APC’s endorsement
The National Working
Committee (NWC) of the APC met with governors and members of the
National Assembly elected on the platform of the party on Monday in
Abuja to endorse candidates for positions of the Senate President,
Speaker and their deputies.
The forum endorsed
Senator Ahmed Lawan as Senate President. It is safe to say that the
endorsement of Lawan could have influenced his victory.
Unlike 2015, the
endorsement worked because the party didn’t stop at that. It mobilised
all forces to make sure the endorsement worked.
· Buhari’s intervention
On Thursday 6th
June, President Muhammadu Buhari met with Senators Danjuma Goje and
Ahmed Lawan. After the closed-door meeting with the President, Goje
withdrew from the race making, the road clearer for Lawan’s victory.
As against 2015, the
President took the bull by the horn, ensuring he neutralised almost all
the oppositions, cementing his status as a father figure in the party.
· Wide consultation
The same Lawan was
endorsed in 2015 by APC but didn’t do much. He, more or less, trusted
the party to ensure his victory. But this time around, he didn’t bank on
the endorsement alone. He went round the nation, speaking to
stakeholders and lobbying senators to support him.
He was able to rally round key forces to make his ambition a reality.
· Disaffections with Ndume
Most People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) senators, somehow couldn’t trust Ndume with their
votes. The 28 votes he garnered clearly indicate all PDP members didn’t
vote for him despite his endorsement by the NWC of the party.
Ndume, to many of
them, is never a good alternative to Lawan. He was in the PDP some years
ago and they believe he may just be a sell-out.
· PDP’s late moves
PDP endorsed Senator
Alli Ndume late. It was only on Tuesday’s morning, few hours to the
election, that the party made its preference for the senate presidency
public. To many of the senators, it was one move too late. If they had
probably endorsed him earlier, he would have probably won.
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