9th Senate: How PDP Senators Endorsed Ndume, But Voted Lawan

The battle for the Presidency of the 9th Senate ended on Tuesday, June 11, 2019, with 79 senators electing former Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, as the President of the Senate and Chairman of the 9th National Assembly.

Lawan, who represents Yobe North in Yobe State, was the preferred candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He defeated his opponent and fellow senator of the APC, Ali Ndume, during the election.

The former Senate Leader scored 79 votes, while Ndume got 28 votes. The composition of the 9th Senate lawmakers indicates that the APC has 63 senators, while the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has 44 senators.

Ndume, who represents Borno South senatorial district of Borno State, lost the election despite earlier securing the endorsement of the PDP.

In endorsing Ndume, the PDP had said its decision was “in the best interest of the nation, in line with our party’s determination to deepen democracy, ensure a strong and independent legislature, strict compliance with the principle of separation of powers as well as constitutional checks and balances in the polity.”

The opposition party said its National Working Committee conducted “very extensive consultations with critical stakeholders” before resolving to support Ndume and Umar Mohammed Bago for the positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.

Meanwhile, the votes cast today by the 107 senators, however, indicate that despite PDP’s support for Ndume, some senators of the main opposition party voted the ruling APC’s Lawan for Senate President.

Although the Senate is made up 109 senators, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Mohammed Sani-Omolori, had accredited 107 senators-elect for the election.

The election was short of two senators due to issues surrounding two senatorial districts in Imo State who currently do not have representations in the Senate.

Both Lawan and Ndume went into the election after being nominated by senators-elect Yahaya Ibrahim and Ishaku Cliff, respectively.

The Senate conducted the election after adopting an the “open secret ballot” system for the exercise.

“By your rules it is open secret ballot,” the Clerk of the Senate had said after Lawan and Ndume accepted their nominations for the election.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari had ahead of the 9th National Assembly elections asked APC lawmakers to respect party supremacy by voting only candidates endorsed by the ruling party.

The directive was issued at a meeting attended by the President, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, party chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, some governors as well as the lawmakers in Abuja on Monday.