10th NASS: I’ve no plan to re-contest senate presidency — Lawan

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has debunked the claim that he has joined the race for the presidency of the 10th senate. 

A national daily (not Daily Trust) on Monday reported that Lawan had thrown his hat into the ring and had the backing of some lawmakers to return as senate president in June when the 10th National Assembly will be inaugurated. 

But Lawan, in a statement he signed on Tuesday, said he had never informed anyone or held a meeting with any person or group that he was running for the senate presidency in the 10th assembly. 

He, therefore, urged the public to disregard the report. 

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Lawan said, “I have read some media reports that I have joined the race for the presidency of the 10th senate. Ordinarily, I would not have responded to these reports, but when lies are not refuted, they have the tendency to create an illusion of truth.

“The truth is that I have never told anyone or held a meeting with anyone that I am running for the presidency of the 10th senate. So, the public should discountenance the reports.

“The fact remains that I am part of the leadership of our great party, the APC, seeking to find solutions to the numerous issues arising from the contests for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, and I will continue to remain focused on that.”

Similarly, the Senator representing Niger East, Sani Musa, has refuted a media report that some senators-elect, including himself, had formed an alliance to ensure that Lawan returned as president of the 10th Senate.

Musa, who is running for deputy senate president, described the report as false and malicious. 

In a statement, the senator urged the senators-elect and the public to disregard totally the false information in the media space, which he said was a figment of the imagination of rumour mongers.

The senator insisted that he stood by the position of his colleagues in the North Central who had endorsed him as their candidate for the position of deputy senate president.