Updated – Senate Presidency: Goje endorses Ahmed Lawan


The chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation and formerly governor of Gombe state Thursday endorsed Ahmed Lawan for the Senate Senate Presidency.
Gone endorsed Lawan, who is currently the Leader of the Senate, after a close-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents after the meeting, Goje said he had shelved his ambition to be the president of the Senate.“I want to say that hat as an elder statesman in the senate for a long time. At my age, I should be able to appreciate leadership coming from our elders. So in spite of all these calls, in spite all the support I have among my colleagues in the senate, I have decided to in deference to the loyalty I have for his excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari and in deference to the loyalty I have for my party, the APC in the interest of our party and the development of this country, in other to assist Mr. President to deliver his promises.“I have decided to respect his wish by not declaring to contest this senate presidency. Instead, I am supporting the party’s position thereby endorsing the candidature of Senator Ahmed Lawan,” he said.

Asked if Nigerians would not see the position of the party as an imposition of leadership considering the independence of the legislative arm of government, Goje said: “I don’t think it is an imposition, I am not compelled to step down, I just told you that at my age I have the capacity to think well and respect my elders and respect my party. And in party politics…I am independent.“I have been winning my elections many many times from local government to House of Assembly, to National Assembly to governorship and I was also a minister.

To say that I have been threatened to support somebody, no! I am supporting him based on my own conviction that I am doing the right thing for our  country, for our president.”Also speaking, Senator Ahmed Lawan said Goje’s endorsement would bring unity in the Senate and help the ninth National Assembly settle down quickly for business.“We have just come out of a closed door meeting just like his excellency the governor Nasir El-Rufai said. Mind is to thank Senator Goje and El-Rufai for making it possible for us to achieve what we have achieved we today.””“For me this is a great day and a very important moment for the contest for the office of the senate. The endorsement by senator Goje, is going to bring so much unity in the APC and indeed in the entire senate in a very bi-partisan fashion. 


“I believe that is the way to go, we want to go to the ninth senate focused and united right from onset to kickstart our activities which is very important at this time. The country needs a senate that is focused and united for optimum performance and I believe that the senators-elect will be happy to hear that this has been achieved,” he said.Also speaking, Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai of Kaduna state who was at the meeting said.


Goje was a man of impeccable pedigree for respecting the wish of the president and the APC. 
“I am very pleased to report to you that we just came out from a meeting with our leader and mentor, the president with distinguished Senator Danjuma Goje from Gombe state and distinguished Senator Ahmed Lawan from Yobe state and the senator-elect, Uba Sani  from my state.“We discussed steps to unify our leadership in the National Assembly starting with the senate. I am very pleased to announce that distinguished senator Goje has agreed to fully endorse and support the choice of the party and that of Mr. President within the Senate, that is Senator Ahmed Lawan.
“We are very grateful to Senator Goje for his sacrifice and patience.

This discussion has been going on for a long time and I am honoured to be part of it and I am grateful to him for recognizing the many years we have worked together when he was minister, as governor. I know him to be a man of impeccable integrity and a man of his word and I am very honoured that he has come to see Mr. President and to conclude this matter once and for all,” he said.

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