APC will do things differently this time, says Lawan on 9th assembly leadership

Ahmed Lawan, senate majority leader, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) will do things differently in choosing the leadership of the 9th national assembly.

Lawan spoke during an interactive session with reporters in Abuja.

He ruled out the possibility of crisis in the APC, noting that the party must have learnt lessons from the “mismanagement of the party’s majority” in the current assembly.

Lawan, who is seeking the office of the senate president, said as a loyal member of the APC, he would respect the decision of the party’s leadership even if it does not favour him.

“We are not in any way thinking that we will have crises; it is not what we are envisaging at all,” he said.

“But let me say that our party, the APC, must have learnt its lessons, and therefore, the party leadership will do something differently this time.

“I am sure our leaders will try to manage this huge success of the APC and I have no doubt that the party will find us compliant and very supportive of its programmes and those of the administration under President Muhammadu Buhari.”

The lawmaker, who represents Yobe north, said he has been reaching out to other senators-elect to convince them that “we are the right people to lead the senate and the national assembly.”

In 2015, Lawan emerged as the consensus candidate of the APC for the seat of the senate president but lost to Bukola Saraki.

Barau Jibrin, senator representing Kano north, has also asked his colleagues to elect Lawan as the next senate president, saying the lawmaker is qualified to preside over the next assembly being the most experienced lawmaker in the red chamber.