Lawan: Orji Kalu was my roommate in the university

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has disclosed that Orji Uzor-Kalu, senator representing Abia north, was his roommate at the University of Maiduguri in 1980.

The Abia senator disclosed this when he hosted some federal lawmakers, including Ovie Omo-Agege, deputy senate president, to a dinner at his Abuja residence.

The senate president thanked Kalu for organising the dinner and pledged that under him, senators would unite across party lines.

“The Nigerian project is a project of the Nigerian people and not a political party’s project and everybody must ensure that it works,” he said.

“In the 9th senate, we are going to work together and we will distribute functions across party lines.”

Ken Nnamani, a former senate president, who said the presiding officers of the new senate were elected in a transparent manner, described the upper legislative chamber as “an assembly of elders”.

Nnamani, who congratulated Lawan and Omo-Agege, said the nation’s interest, rather than party’s interest, must prevail at all times at the assembly.

“Nigerians are looking forward to a different outcome this time around because of the way you were elected,” he said.

“If President Muhammadu Buhari succeeds, you have succeeded yourselves. Therefore, there is no more excuse,” he said.

Earlier in his welcome remark, Kalu said the occasion was for the celebration of victory.

“No motion is going to be moved here and no motion is going to be seconded here. All we are here for is to eat and drink,” he said.