10th NASS: Lawan denies running for Senate Presidency

Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday denied reports in some sections of the media that he has declared interest to contest for the office of the number three citizen during the forthcoming inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.

There have been rumours that the outgoing Senate President has joined the arrays of aspirants vying for the exalted office, at least to serve a second term in office.

But Lawan in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists in Abuja, said he was part of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC that agreed on the zoning arrangements, and would therefore, never go against such arrangements.

The Senate President emphasized that he has never told anyone or held a meeting with anyone that he wants to or had joined the race for the Presidency of the 10th Senate and therefore, urged the public to discountenance the reports.

The statement reads: “I have read some media reports that I have joined the race for the Presidency of the 10th Senate.

“Ordinarily I would not have responded to these reports but when lies are not refuted, they have the tendency to create an illusion of truth.

“The truth is that I have never told anyone or held a meeting with anyone that I am running for the Presidency of the 10th Senate. So the public should discountenance the reports.

“The fact remains that I am part of the leadership of our great party, the APC, seeking to find solutions to the numerous issues arising from the contests for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly and I will continue to remain focused on that.”

It would be recalled that Lawan had last year contested during the presidential primary election of the APC where he came fourth after the winner and now president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi (second position) and the outgoing vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who secured the third position.

It was, however, gathered that some associates of the Senate President have been pushing him to throw his hat into the ring, not only to complete a second term, but so as not to lose out totally in the new scheme of things in the ruling party, but which he has now denied.