Senators-elect divided as signatures drive begins for Lawan, Goje, Ndume

The battle for the Ninth President of the Senate has heightened with senators-elect involved in signatures drive for the three contenders – Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations Danjuma Goje and the former Senate Leader Ali Ndume.

All the three camps have been overwhelmed by tally counting ahead of the election of principal officers in the next dispensation.

But the three contenders have kept their tallies under wraps while intensifying strategic sessions and lobbying of their colleagues across party divides.

Although Lawan group has adopted one-on-one strategy in its final phase of campaign, the PDP has initiated plot to give block vote.  It was learnt that a former Abia deputy governor, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has been coordinating the opposition group.

Abaribe, a source said, has had audience with Senator Goje, demanding the true picture of his strength among APC senators-elect.

Goje was said to be yet to respond to PDP’s request because his camp was still taking stock.

On his part, Ndume has adopted what a source described as “subterranean” strategy.

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Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the inauguration of the Ninth National Assembly will hold on June 11 after the Senate President Bukola Saraki and the House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, would have completed their tenure.

Saraki and Dogara will leave office on June 9, 2019 to end turbulent four-year tenure.

All the three contenders are locked in permutations with collection of signatures of Senators-elect.

While APC senators-elect are trying to remain intact, some of the PDP senators-elect are opposed to block vote.

The opposition senators-elect met in the home of their coordinator, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, a few days ago to strategise ahead of the election of the principal officers of the Senate.

After the session, some of the senators-elect later had audience with one of the principal officers of the Senate to brief him on the situation at hand.