Ahmed Lawan Makes First ‘Mistake’ As Senate President

The Senate President and Chairman of the 9th National Assembly, Ahmed Lawan, appears to have made his first blunder in office as one of his first appointments has been mired in controversy.

Lawan had recently named Mr Festus Adedayo, a known critic of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, as his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.

Adedayo’s appointment has continued to generate a lot of buzz on social media since it was announced alongside the appointment of the Senate President’s Chief of Staff, Babagana Muhammad Aji, on Tuesday.

Following the appointment, supporters of the ruling APC quickly created a hashtag “#SackFestusAdedayo” on Twitter, demanding for the immediate termination of the appointment.

The Senate President also earned some knocks from a chieftain of the APC and the Senator representing Osun Central, Ajibola Bashiru, who described the appointment as “unfortunate”.

Also criticizing Lawan’s engagement of Adedayo as publicity aide was the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) which expressed shock at Adedayo’s appointment “given his antecedents and his undisguised contempt for the APC and President Buhari.”

Meanwhile, the appointee has said he never lobbied the Senate President for the appointment. He also told reporters that he was never consulted before the appointment was announced.

Adedayo was quoted to have said he was still consulting with his folks on whether to reject the appointment or not.

Many see these negative reactions to Lawan’s first appointment as a failure on the part of the Senate President to carry out due diligence.

Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports say that the Senate President has, however, rescinded the appointment today, Thursday, June 20, 2019 following consultations.