The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has refuted claim of disaffection between him and the National Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC ), Governor Mai Mala Buni, of Yobe state as reported in one of the national dailies on Friday .
The National daily had in the story titled: ” Fresh crisis in APC as Lawan, Buni bicker over 2023 Presidency”, alleged that the crisis between the two frontline leaders of the ruling party from Yobe state, is rocking the boats of the party at both the state and the National level ahead of the 2023 General elections.
But Lawan in a strong worded rebuttal signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Ola Awoniyi, said the allegation was a mere concoction of a reporter who has no regard for facts or fidelity to truth and that Nigerians should disregard it by treating it with contempt.
The rebuttal reads in part, “The office of the President of the Senate has read with amusement the comical report promoted as a front page lead story by Daily Independent newspaper in its Friday edition (7th May, 2021).
“The story titled: Fresh crisis in APC as Lawan, Buni bicker over 2023 Presidency” is a mere concoction of a reporter who has no regard for facts or fidelity to truth. What is surprising though is that it escaped the scrutiny of the newspaper’s gatekeepers to nestle on the front page.
“To start with, there is no crisis of the nature painted by the reporter in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Also, the relationship between the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, who is also the interim Chairman of APC, is cordial and has always been so.
“Therefore, the laughable claim of bickering between the Senate President and Yobe Governor only exists in the imagination of the reporter and his pay master.
“We understand the agony of individuals who are envious of the landmark achievements of the APC-led Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari and the growing popularity of the party across the nation. However, it is unacceptable for journalists to offer themselves and their media platforms for sowing seeds of discord in the party.
“On the race to 2023, we have already explained that the only focus of Lawan at the moment is the assignment given to him by his Distinguished senator colleagues to provide leadership for the Ninth Senate in delivering its mandate.
“Finally, we want to stress again that the report is an outright falsehood and the handiwork of mischief makers. It should therefore be treated with contempt by members of the public”.
