Tag: Ahmed Lawan

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Road crash: Lawan loses aide

Legislative aides key to assisting lawmakers fulfill mandate — Lawan
Lawan

Special Assistant on Media to the Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Mohammed Isa, has passed on.

Isa died on Friday evening while undergoing treatment for the injuries he sustained in a motor accident on Sunday. The accident happened on the Minna-Suleja Road in Niger State.

According to a report by ‘The Punch’, he was said to be travelling from Suleja to Minna alongside the state’s former Commissioner for Information, Danladi Ndayebo, when the accident happened.

Ndayebo died at the hospital much earlier while Isa was on treatment till he gave up the ghost on Friday.

Special Adviser on Media to President of the Senate, Ola Awoniyi, said in a statement that Isa’s remains were buried on Saturday afternoon in Funtua, Katsina State, in accordance with Islamic rites.

ALSO READ: Dangerous driving: 13 burnt to death in Kano accident as corps member dies in Nasarawa crash

Lawan described the death as “shocking, heart-rending and a great loss”.

The statement quoted him as describing the deceased as “very dedicated to his duties, never found wanting and very professional in his journalistic calling.”

Lawan condoled with the deceased’s family, colleagues, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the government and the people of Katsina State over the loss.

Isa’s death was barely five days after that of the former clerk to the Senate, Nelson Ayewoh, making it the fourth death recorded in the Senate Wing of the National Assembly within a month.

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Lawan sends emotional words to his constituency as he finally accepts Maccina as winner of Yobe senatorial election

Lawan and Machina

“We journeyed together for a long time, and this journey will remain a life long journey. It has been a wonderful relationship and it can only get stronger. I am indebted to you all. Alhamdulillah.”

These are the words of the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, as he finally accepts Basir Maccina as the winner of the Yobe North Senatorial election.

He has accepted the judgement of the Federal High Court, Damaturu, which disqualified him from, meaning that it has dawned on him he will not return to the Senate.

Lawan said in a statement on Thursday in Abuja that he has accepted the judgement in good faith.

“Yesterday, Wednesday, Sept. 28, the Federal High Court in Damaturu delivered judgement on the rightful candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District for the 2023 National Assembly election.

“The said judgement disqualifies my candidature and therefore my participation in the elections.

“After due consultations with my political associates, supporters and well-wishers, I have decided not to appeal against the judgement. I accept the judgement.

“At this juncture, I deem it appropriate to thank His Excellency, Sen. Ibrahim Gaidam for the leadership role in the APC political family in Yobe. I also thank His Excellency, Gov. Mai Mala Buni for the support and brotherhood,” he said.

Lawan added: “To my constituents, I thank you all for your unflinching support, loyalty and unreserved commitment to the course of building our people and Yobe North Senatorial District and indeed Yobe.

“I want to assure you that I will continue to serve you in my personal and any other capacity at all times.

“We journeyed together for a long time, and this journey will remain a life long journey. It has been a wonderful relationship and it can only get stronger. I am indebted to you all. Alhamdulillah.”

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POLITICS

Lawan holds strategic meeting with IBB, Abdusalami

Babangida, Abdulsalami, pledge support for North Central People’s Forum
Babangida

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan on Saturday held separately held closed-door meetings with ex-Nigerian leaders retired Generals Abdulsalam Abubakar and Ibrahim Babangida, at their uphill residences in Minna, Niger.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reliably learnt that their meetings centred on the unity of the country.
Lawan arrived in Minna at about 1.30 pm and first visited the residence of Abdulsalam before he went to that of Babangida.

His meeting with Abdulsalami took about 40 minutes, while that with Babangida took about 30 minutes.
Speaking to Journalists after he met with Abdulsalami, the Senate President said that the two leaders have a lot of roles to play in ensuring the unity and peaceful co-existence of Nigerians.
Lawan, who was accompanied by the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Sen. Sani Musa, said that he was in Minna on a sympathy visit to the former Head of State who was recuperating from an illness.
He added, ”as an elder statesman, it is necessary that the visit is made especially with the contributions Abdulsalami has made to the country.

“As our leader and elder statesman, we felt that it is necessary that we make this visit today to come and sympathize with him and his family.
” We are grateful to God for the lives of our fathers and we pray that they recover completely.
”This is to enable them to continue with their good work of ensuring that Nigeria remains united and Nigerians live peacefully amongst themselves.”

Lawan, however, declined questions fielded on politics and the 2023 elections as he insisted that ”he was only in the state for a private visit and not a political visit. ”

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POLITICS

We haven’t recognised Lawan, Akpabio as senatorial candidates – INEC

Akpabio

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied alleged doctoring of documents to accommodate Sen. Ahmed Lawan and Godswill Akpabio to run for Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North West senatorial districts respectively in 2023.

The commission gave the denial in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye in Abuja on Tuesday.

Okoye said that not for the first time, INEC’s attention had been drawn to a story published by an online medium that the commission had doctored, backdated and certified documents to accommodate the nominations of Lawan and Akpabio, from Yobe and Akwa-Ibom respectively.

Okoye said that nothing could be further from the truth.

He said that as evidence of the alleged role played by the commission, a certified true copy of Form 9C uploaded by the duo candidates’ political party and received by INEC on June 17 when the nomination portal closed was presented.

Okoye said that for clarity, the Form EC9 (submission of names of candidates by political parties) was the form uploaded by parties on the INEC nomination portal.

He said that was clearly indicated on the title of the form which was received on June 17 when the portal closed.

“What follows is the publication of the personal particulars of nominated candidates which was done a week later.

“The forms of the two personalities in question were not published by the commission.

“The decision of the commission triggered legal action which are still ongoing.

“It, therefore, defies logic and common sense to go around and submit doctored documents purportedly recognising the duo as candidates when the matter is clearly sub-judice.”

Okoye said that as part of the ongoing case in Court, a law firm requested a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Form EC9 submitted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as its candidate for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District which INEC was duty bound to oblige them under the law.

He explained that the form was certified on July 15, 2022.

“If minimum care has been exercised by the promoters of the story, they would have seen the two stamps of the commission bearing different dates on the form.

“It is this form that is now misconstrued as INEC’ s endorsement.

“For the record, the commission has not recognised any of the two personalities as senatorial candidates.”

Okoye called for responsible reportage as against the unwarranted attack on the INEC and its officials over a matter than could be easily fact checked.

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Shettima is the right man for the job – Lawan on APC running mate issue

Legislative aides key to assisting lawmakers fulfill mandate — Lawan
Lawan

President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan and North East caucus of the APC has congratulated Sen. Kashim Shettima on his nomination as 2023 vice presidential candidate of the party.
Shettima is running mate to APC presidential candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu.
Lawan in a statement on behalf of the caucus in Abuja on Monday said Tinubu and the APC made an excellent choice in Shettima.

According to Lawan, Shettima, a former two-term governor of Borno joined the public service with impeccable credentials, which he had improved upon, by demonstrating great competence, integrity and courage in all the positions he has held.
Lawan said Shettima’s background in academics and the private sector prepared him for the achievements that he recorded as governor and in the senate.

He said the APC presidential running mate was a loyal and committed member of the party, adding that he possed what it took to be the vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We, the North-East caucus of the APC attest that Shettima is the right man for the job and that he will be an able and loyal lieutenant to Tinubu.

“We as a caucus, pledge our full cooperation and support to our candidates as we march again toward another resounding victory in the general elections.
“We enjoin all members of our party across Nigeria to give the APC standard bearer and his running mate their utmost support.
“We also assure Nigerians that the choices that our party has made in our presidential ticket are for the best of our country,” Lawan said.

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I’m not withdrawing for Lawan – Machinna

Legislative aides key to assisting lawmakers fulfill mandate — Lawan
Lawan

The Yobe North senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bashir Machina, has restated his stand against withdrawing for the Senate resident, Ahmed Lawan.

His insistence indicates that Lawan will not return in 2023.
According to him, a letter with his signature forged, saying he has withdrawn, is being circulated.

A statement signed by the organisation’s spokesperson, Husaini Isah, reads:
“Information available to the Bashir Machina Campaign Organisation has it that some individuals have entered an unholy alliance with some compromised leaders to forge the withdrawal letter of Yobe North APC senatorial candidate, Hon Bashir Machina, even after communicating formally to the Party leadership affirming his stand not to step-down for anybody.

“It is sad and indeed unfortunate that after all the cries and alarm raised by the Campaign Organisation exposing a sinister plot to subvert the will of people of Yobe North, some mischievous elements are hell-bent and determined to carry out their criminal offence.

“It has eventually come to light in this untidy business of a forged withdrawal letter, that some compromised leaders have become slaves to corruption and criminality in Nigeria.”

Machina further reiterated his position that he will not step down and any letter of withdrawal received was not from him rather they were forged.

“Facts affirming our earlier accusation that some individuals were trying to forge the withdrawal letter of Bashir Machina have emerged, and as a Campaign Organisation, we want to make it abundantly clear that any withdrawal letter carrying the signature of our candidate is a forged document and does not emanate from him.
“We wonder how a sane person could delve into this embarrassing action which is criminal in nature and has the potential of soiling the reputation of the APC as a party that stands for justice.

“We want to reiterate that Bashir Machina’s letter dated 13th June which was sent to the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, still stands and any attempt to forge his withdrawal letter would be treated as a pure criminal offence irrespective of the calibre of person(s) involved.”

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Kidney transplant: Lawan speaks on Ekweremadu’s ordeals

Ekweremadu

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has addressed the question of the ordeals the former Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, is facing.

He said the Federal Government was intervening at two levels: through the Nigerian High Commission and through the Senate, whose delegation will soon be in London.

Ekweremadu, alongside his wife, was arrested by the UK Metropolitan Police last Tuesday for conspiracy to harvest the organs of a minor.

Ekweremadu and his wife allegedly facilitated David’s entry into the UK to transplant his kidney into their daughter, Sonia, who is suffering from kidney failure.

The couple was arraigned at the Uxbridge Magistrate Court in London on charges of conspiracy and organ harvest on Thursday.

But in a statement by the Special Assistant (Press) to Lawan, Dr. Ezrel Tabiowo, titled, ‘Senate delegation to visit Ekweremadu, wife in London’, the Senate President said:

“I had a personal engagement with our Nigerian High Commissioner to Britain, Alhaji Isola Sarafa, who has done so well to establish contact with our colleague, who has been able to get his team to be in the court at Uxbridge where Ekweremadu was taken to.

“The high Commission has also been able to provide some consular services that include the engagement of some lawyers who will defend our colleague.

“We commend them for giving attention to the issue at stake. Equally, the Nigeria Foreign Affairs Minister has been engaged here, so that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes steps to provide diplomatic support for our colleague.

“Because this issue is already in court, we have limited opportunity to discuss beyond what we have done so far.

“But I want to ensure the family of our colleague, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Nigerians, that the Senate will continue to engage with our ministry of foreign affairs as well as our high commission in London.

“The High Commission has done so much but we still expect that it will continue to provide any other further consular services.

“We have also mandated our committee on foreign affairs to engage with the British high commission here in Nigeria, to find more details on this case, as as far as the high commission is involved.

“There will be a delegation to London to see Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife. A delegation from the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Senate will leave in the next two days to London for that purpose.

“I want to urge all federal government institutions that can do anything to ensure that justice prevails in this case, that they do so.”

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POLITICS

Aide speaks on Lawan’s alleged defection to PDP

Lawan assures passage of PIB in May
- Lawan

Mr Ola Awoniyi, Special Adviser to President of Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, has described as false and mischievous a viral video purporting that Lawan had defected to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from All Progressives Congress (APC).

Awoniyi made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday.

He said the original video clip, which was ‘mischievously’ edited to 26 seconds, was a three minutes and 30 seconds clip where Lawan read the written to the Senate by Sen. Adamu Ailero of Kebbi State.

Awoniyi said that the letter was written to inform the senators at plenary of Aliero’s defection from APC to PDP over issues in the state chapter of APC.

“So how could the senate president have made such announcement at plenary, either on Tuesday or Wednesday, without it being reported by journalists who covered the proceedings?

“The fact is that, at the commencement of the session on Tuesday, the senate president read out some correspondences, one of which was the said letter written by Sen. Aliero.

“Sen. Aliero was not the only senator who officially announced their defection this week from one party to another.
“It was the video clip of the senate president reading out Sen. Aliero’s letter that was doctored to give the wrong impression that Lawan has renounced his membership of APC.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Sen. Lawan is a committed member of APC and has no reason whatsoever to renounce his membership of the party,” he said.

Awoniyi urged members of the public to discountenance the video in reference, as it was the handiwork of mischief makers.

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Result of APC’s primary shows Tinubu is the popular choice – Lawan

Legislative aides key to assisting lawmakers fulfill mandate — Lawan
Lawan

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan ,says the result of the All Progressives Congress presidential primary has shown that its winner, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is a popular choice.

Lawan said his emergence has reassured the party of winning the 2023 presidential poll.

In a letter of congratulations that he personally signed on Wednesday in Abuja, Lawan said that outcome of the election process had shown that Tinubu was the popular choice of his party.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lawan was also an aspirant in the primary.

The letter reads: “The Presidential Primary of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the 2023 general election has come and gone.

“I am elated and proud that the Presidential primary was manifestly free and fair, and conducted within our APC family under a most convivial atmosphere.

“The success of the event demonstrates the capacity of our great party to run its internal affairs smoothly and devoid of rancour.

“As Your Excellency is aware, I offered myself alongside your good self and other patriotic members of the party to fly its highly coveted flag in the 2023 presidential election,” he said.

He said that he did so in the belief that he had the knowledge base, ideas, experience and desire to provide leadership for our dear country at these most trying times.

“However, the outcome of the election process has shown that Your Excellency is the popular choice of our party for that assignment.

“I do not have an iota of doubt in the wisdom of that decision by our party’s delegates from across the country.

“I have no doubt that with your credentials, experience, antecedents and political sagacity, our great party will go into the 2023 contest confident of victory,”Lawan said.

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BREAKING: Lawan scores 152, Ayade 37 votes

Senate
Lawan

Senate President Ahmed Lawan’s bid to clinch the presidential candidacy of the All Progressives Congress has ended fruitless.

He could only score 152 votes, less than Rotimi Amaechi’s 316 and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s 235.

Lawan was initially believed to be supporting the party’s leader, Bola Tinubu.

But he later got the N100m nomination form and fought deep into the race.

He was dramatically announced the consensus candidate by the party’s Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, on Monday, but the feat did not last as the party overruled it.

Tinubu was believed to be instrumental to his emergence as the Senate President.