The battle of who becomes the president of the 9th Senate Assembly is threatening to cause a fresh crisis in the chambers of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Former Senate leader, Ali Ndume, who had declared intentions to vie for the seat of the senate president, has kicked and termed as unconstitutional, the endorsement of Senator Ahmad Lawan as candidate of the party for the position.
During a meeting of APC National Assembly members with Buhari on Monday, it was said that the National chairman of the party, Mr Adams Oshiomhole had declared Lawan as the choice of the party to become the next Senate President.
But Ndume, who is apparently not happy with the development, told newsmen in Abuja that the choice of Lawan was an unpopular decision and wondered how Oshiomhole would unilaterally carry out the decision without consultations.
According to Senator Ndume, President Muhammadu Buhari and the party’s national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had already given him their consent when he approached them for their blessings over his ambition to contest for the position.
“All my colleagues at the occasion yesterday (Monday) were shocked when Adams Oshiomhole unilaterally announced his decision to endorse Lawan as candidate of the party.
“It is an unpopular decision because I am sure that President Buhari and other leaders of the party are not in support of that action. None of the stakeholders was also consulted,” he said.
Except Nigeria’s ruling party puts its house in order, it risks making the same mistake it made in 2015 over the senate leadership when Bukola Saraki emerged Senate President which turned the party into a house divided against itself.
