BREAKING: Despite PDP Backing, Ali Ndume Loses Senate Presidency

Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South senatorial district, has lost out in his bid to emerge as the President of the Senate and Chairman of the 9th National Assembly.

Ndume was defeated by his rival and fellow senator of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Lawan.

Out of the 107 votes cast by the senators, Lawan scored 79 votes while his opponent Ndume got 28 votes.

Lawan, who represents Yobe North Constituency of Yobe State, was the preferred candidate of the ruling APC.

The composition of lawmakers in the 9th Senate is about 63 APC senators, 44 PDP senators, while the Young Progressive Party (YPP) has one senator.

Ndume had few hours to the election secured the endorsement of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Lawan, who represents Yobe North Constituency of Yobe State, was the preferred candidate of the ruling APC.

Although Lawan was reported to have met some PDP senators and sought their support ahead of the election, the opposition however rooted for Ndume for the number three political office in the country.

The opposition party had announced its endorsement of Ndume on its verified Twitter page in the early hours of Tuesday.

“The National Working Committee of the PDP after very extensive consultations with critical stakeholders resolves to support Senator Ali Ndume and Hon. Umar Mohammed Bago for the Senate President of Nigeria and Speaker of House of Representatives respectively, ahead of the National Assembly inauguration on Tuesday,” the party had said.

The PDP rooted for Ndume after a caucus meeting of its members, including party leaders, state governors as well as senators and members-elect under the party.

The main opposition party said its decision to endorse Ndume 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.”

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, ahead of the NASS election, was reported to have asked APC lawmakers to respect party supremacy by voting only candidates endorsed by the ruling party.

Buhari issued the directive at a meeting attended by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, party chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, some governors as well as the lawmakers in Abuja on Monday, according to Daily Trust.