Twenty four hours after his endorsement by the Governor of Borno state , Kashim Shettima, Senator Ahmad Lawan’s presidential race for the 9th Senate ,further got boosted with support from Progressives Youth Forum in Abuja Tuesday .
Lawan’s endorsement by the All Progressives Youth Forum at his Campaign Headquarters in Transcorp Hilton, however came few hours after State and Zonal Youth Leaders of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) , cautioned the party over endorsement of any candidate for the presidency of the 9th Senate or Speakership of the 9th House of Representatives .
Speaking on behalf of the Youth Forum, the Chairman, Ife Adebayo said “as far as the presidency of the 9th Senate is concerned , Senator Ahmad Lawan is the round peg that can perfectly fit into the round hole going by his track record of performance in the Parliament within the last twenty years”
According to him, aside parliamentary experience that cannot be matched by any other contender for the position, Senator Lawan also stands out in intellectual capacity, being a Ph’D holder in Remote Sensing .
” We of the Progressive Youth Forum, identify with your highly welcome aspiration and appeal to all Senators – elect across party lines to rally round you for development – driven leadership of the 9th Senate and by extension, 9th National Assembly devoid of unnecessary rancour with the executive ” , he said .
In his response , Senator Ahmad Lawan flanked by his fellow Senators – elect, thanked the Youths for their support and promised not to let them and other Nigerians down , if eventually emerged as President of the 9th Senate .
He disabused the minds of those insinuating that Senate under him as President , would be a rubber stamp one , saying ” separation of powers among the three arms of government is all about specialisation of functions and not acrimonious competition or rivalry in governance “
” If as President of the 9th Senate , leading the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly in constructive engagements with other arms of government particularly the executive, for beneficial and practical delivery of dividends of democracy to the Nigerian masses , is what is called rubber stamp , so be it “, he said .
He added that the envisioned 9th Senate and by extension , the 9th National Assembly , will be an all inclusive one for all federal lawmakers – elect irrespective of their political parties .
” What matters most as practically demonstrated by the President Muhammadu Buhari led government within the last four years in terms of project execution , is Nigeria and Nigerians, not political party anybody or geopolitical zone belongs to”, he said .
However in an earlier press briefing , the Forum of State and Zonal Youth Leaders of the All Progressives Congress( APC) , kicked against endorsement of anybody for the leadership positions of the 9th National Assembly .
The Youth Leaders in a communiqué signed by all the six zonal leaders called on APC to convene National Executive Committee ( NEC) meeting immediately for proclamation of neutrality in the race .
According to them, the National Executives of the party , should as way of preventing crisis in the party in June when the 9th National Assembly will be inaugurated, zone all the available leadership positions across the six geopolitical zones .
The Zonal Youth Leaders who signed the communiqué are Comrade Terver Aginde ( North Central), Maigari Bello Kasimu ( North East), Abubakar Saadu ( North West ), Odu Onyeka ( South East), Gabriel Iduseri ( South South) and Lawal Ola Kolade ( South West ) .
