2023 Presidency: Tinubu, Fayemi, Lawan, four others That Could Be APC Flag Bearer

Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, the top seven (7) possible candidates that could be flag bearer for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This list is made according to information gathered from sources within the ruling party.

1. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu, is a Nigerian politician and the current National leader of the All Progressives Congress. He had previously served as the Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007.

Tinubu was born on 29 March 1952 in the city of Lagos, Nigeria. His mother, Chief Abibatu Mogaji, was a trader who eventually became the Iyaloja of Lagos.

He attended St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos and Children’s Home School in Ibadan, South West of Nigeria.

Tinubu then went to the United States in 1975, where he studied first at Richard J. Daley College in Chicago, Illinois, and then at Chicago State University. He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

Tinubu worked for the American companies Arthur Andersen, Deloitte, Haskins, & Sells, and GTE Services Corporation.

After returning to Nigeria in 1983, Bola Tinubu joined Mobil Oil Nigeria, and later became an executive of the company.

His political career began in 1992, when he joined the Social Democratic Party where he was a member of the Peoples Front faction led by Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and made up of other politicians such as Umaru Yar’Adua, Atiku Abubakar, Baba Gana Kingibe, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila, Magaji Abdullahi, Dapo Sarumi and Yomi Edu. He was elected to the Senate, representing the Lagos West constituency in the short-lived Nigerian Third Republic.

After the results of the 12 June 1993 presidential elections were annulled, Tinubu became a founding member of the pro-democracy National Democratic Coalition, a group which mobilized support for the restoration of democracy and recognition of Moshood Abiola as winner of the June 12 election.

Following the seizure of power as military head of state of General Sani Abacha, he went into exile in 1994 and returned to the country in 1998 after the death of the military dictator, which ushered in the transition to the Fourth Nigerian Republic.

In the run-up to the 1999 elections, Bola Tinubu was a protégé of Alliance for Democracy (AD) leaders Abraham Adesanya and Ayo Adebanjo.

He went on to win the AD primaries for the Lagos State governorship elections in defeating Funsho Williams and Wahab Dosunmu, a former Minister of Works and Housing.

In January 1999, he stood for the position of Governor of Lagos State on the AD ticket and was elected

2. Orji Uzor Kalu

Orji Uzor Kalu is a Nigerian Politician and businessperson. He is the chairman of SLOK Holding and the Daily Sun and New Telegraph newspapers in Nigeria, who served as the Governor of Abia State, Nigeria from May 29, 1999, to May 29, 2007.

Prior to his election, he served as the chairman of the Borno Water Board and the chairman of the Cooperative and Commerce Bank Limited.

Kalu was also a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and the chairman of the PPA Board of Trustees.

He was the party’s presidential candidate in the April 2007 general election. He is currently a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) after he officially announced his resignation as the PPA BOT chair.

Orji Uzor Kalu contested in the 2019 Nigerian general election to represent the people of Abia North in the senate, running under the banner of All Progressives Congress. He defeated the incumbent senator Mao Ohuabunwa with over 10,000 votes.

Kalu was born to the family of Mr. Johnson Uzor Nesiegbe Kalu and Mrs Eunice Kalu. He attended Christ the King School Aba and Government College Umuahia.

After studying at Barewa College, Zaria, he enrolled in the University of Maiduguri where he studied political science.

During his time at the university, Kalu became a student activist, and participated in the “Ali Must Go” riots against the education minister.

His participation resulted in his suspension. While his fellow students later took the school authorities to court, Kalu left school to build his own business.

With only $35 to his name that he had borrowed from his mother, Kalu began trading palm oil, first buying the oil from Nigeria’s eastern regions and then selling it in the country’s northern regions. He then began buying and reselling furniture on a large scale.

Kalu eventually established SLOK Holding, a conglomerate that would consist of a number of successful companies, including the Ojialex Furniture Company, SLOK Nigeria Limited, SLOK United Kingdom Limited, Adamawa Publishers Limited, SLOK Vegetable Oil, Aba, SLOK Paper Factory, Aba, SLOK United States Incorporated, SLOK Ghana, Togo, Cotonou, Guinea, South Africa, Liberia, Botswana, SLOK Korea, Supreme Oil Limited, SLOK Airlines, Sun Publishing Limited, and First International Bank Limited.

Kalu became the youngest Nigerian to receive the National Merit Award from President Ibrahim Babangida, at the age of 26 in 1986.

He was selected as the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce’s Industrialist of the Year, and awarded the Humanitarian Award of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka’s Humanitarian Club, the Volunteer Award of the International Association of Volunteers, the National Merit Award, the EU Special Award in Brussels, and the World Bank Leon Sullivan Award.

Kalu has a degree from Abia State University, a Certificate in Business Administration from Harvard University and honorary doctorates from the universities of Maiduguri and Abia State.

Kalu headed First International Bank Limited at the age of 33.

He also stewarded Nigerian commercial relations with China’s SinoPacific Shipbuilding company while serving as a principal of SLOK Holding.

On July 11, 2007, Kalu was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on charges of corruption while serving as the governor of Abia State.

He was later released on bail, and accused the Obasanjo regime of persecuting him during and after his tenure in office, an accusation mentioned by former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell in his book, “Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink.”

Kalu has been a staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, a “close friend and father, who deserves all the support to make Nigeria better.”

3. Nasir El Rufai

Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai is a Nigerian politician who is the Governor of Kaduna State, in office since 2015.

He was previously the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007; and the director of the Bureau of Public Enterprises. He is a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai was born on February 16, 1960 to a Fulani family in Daudawa. His father died while he was 8 years old, and he was sponsored through his early schooling by an uncle in Kaduna.

El-Rufai is married to three wives, his first wife Hadiza Isma El-Rufai is a writer and novelist; together, they run the Yasmin El-Rufai Foundation (YELF), set up in honour of their daughter who died in 2011.

El-Rufai was educated in Barewa College. As a junior at the college, President Umaru Yar’Adua was the house captain of his dormitory.

 In 1976, he graduated at the top of his class, winning the “Barewa Old Boys’ Association Academic Achievement” Trophy.

El-Rufai attended Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, where he received a bachelor’s degree in quantity surveying with first class honours.

In 1984, he received a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. He has since attended several professional and post-graduate programs, including the Georgetown School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C and programs on privatization and leadership.

In August 2008 he received a law degree from the University of London; and a master’s degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University in June 2009.

He also received the Kennedy School Certificate in Public Policy and Management having spent 11 months as an Edward A. Mason Fellow in Public Policy and Management from July 2008 to June 2009.

In 1982, he founded El-Rufai & Partners, a quantity surveying consulting firm with three partners which he managed until 1998.

During the military juntas of 1983–1998, the firm received building and civil engineering contracts including during the construction of Abuja, making the partners “young millionaires”.

In addition to his practice, El-Rufai held management positions with two international telecommunications companies, AT&T Network Systems International BV and Motorola Inc.

In 1998, following the death of military head of state General Sani Abacha, his successor General Abdulsalami Abubakar appointed El-Rufai as an economic advisor. In this role he worked with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

In 1999, the military transferred power to President Olusegun Obasanjo. In November 1999, he was appointed the director of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, and secretary of the National Council of Privatisation where he spearheaded the privatisation of several government owned corporations alongside Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

In July 2003, he was appointed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. During his tenure, he presided over a radical transformation of the federal capital earlier riddled with corruption and vast deviation from the original masterplan.

With the establishment of the Abuja Geographic Information System, the capital became the first municipality in Nigeria with a computerised land register and information system.

Along with the President and members of the Economic Management Team, he led the reform of the Nigerian public service which had become dysfunctional during years of military dictatorship.

At various times during his tenure as Minister, he oversaw the Federal Ministries of Commerce (twice) and Interior.

He also chaired several high-profile cabinet committees that led to the establishment of a mortgage system in Nigeria, National ID card system for Nigeria, Electric Power Supply Improvement and the sale of Federal Government real estate in Abuja.

During the last days of the Obasanjo administration, Nuhu Ribadu, a one-time El-Rufai ally described him as the “de facto No. 2 official”, tagging him with the role of Vice President, especially after the fall-out between Obasanjo and his vice president Atiku Abubakar.

It is believed that Obasanjo’s trust and confidence in El-Rufai angered a vast majority of the political class, which would later persecute him.

In 2008, el-Rufai went into self-imposed exile and became a vocal critic of the Umaru Yar’Adua administration. In exile, he received a law degree from the University of London in August 2008, and a masters degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University in June 2009. He also received the Kennedy School Certificate in Public Policy and Management having spent 11 months as an Edward A. Mason Fellow in Public Policy and Management from July 2008 to June 2009.

In 2010, he returned to Nigeria and was subsequently arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He explained his return was in order to clear his name of corruption charges.

In 2011, el-Rufai joined party politics with the Congress for Progressive Change supporting Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign in the 2011 presidential election. In 2013, el-Rufai was appointed deputy national secretary of the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC).

In 2014, El-Rufai declared his campaign for Governor of Kaduna State, contesting the APC governorship primaries to emerged as the party’s candidate for Governor of Kaduna State.

He went on to win the governorship election, with over one million votes to defeat the incumbent Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party.

In 2018, he again emerged as the APC’s governorship candidate. He was re-elected on 9 March 2019, defeating his closet rival by over 200,000 votes.

4. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

Oluyemi Oluleke “Yemi” Osinbajo SAN, GCON is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who is currently serving as the Vice President of Nigeria, in office since 29 May 2015.

Yemi Osinbajo was born into the family of Opeoluwa Osinbajo on 8 March 1957, Creek Hospital, Lagos. Osinbajo is married to Dolapo (née Soyode) Osinbajo, a granddaughter of Obafemi Awolowo. They have three children – two daughters, Damilola, Kanyinsola and a son, Fiyinfoluwa Osinbajo.

Yemi Osinbajo was educated at Corona primary School, in Lagos. Between 1969–1975, he attended Igbobi College Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria, where he was the winner of the State Merit Award (1971); the School Prize for English Oratory (1972); Adeoba Prize for English Oratory (1972-1975); Elias Prize for Best Performance in History (WASC, 1973); School Prize for Literature (HSC, 1975); and African Statesman Intercollegiate Best Speaker’s Prize (1974).

Thereafter, he studied for his undergraduate degree at the University of Lagos between 1975-1978 when he obtained a Second Class Upper Degree in Law. Here, he also won the Graham-Douglas Prize for Commercial Law. In 1979, he completed the mandatory one-year professional training at the Nigerian Law School whereon he was admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of Nigeria’s Supreme Court.

In 1980, he attended the London School of Economics, where he obtained a Master of Laws degree.

From 1979–1980, Osinbajo served the compulsory one year youth service as a legal officer with Bendel Development and Planning Authority (BDPA), Bendel state.

In 1981, he was employed as a law lecturer at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. From 1983 to 1986, he was Senior lecturer of Law at the University of Lagos. From 1988 to 1992, he was an Adviser (legal advice and litigation) to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Bola Ajibola. Osinbajo began lecturing at the age of 23.

From 1997 to 1999 he was made Professor of Law and Head of Department of Public Law, University of Lagos.

From 1999 to 2007, Osinbajo was Member of Cabinet, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, also Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In 2007, Osinbajo was made Senior Partner at Simmons Cooper Partners (Barristers and Solicitors), Nigeria.

From 2007 to 2013 Osinbajo was once again employed as a Professor of Law, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos. He was also a Senior lecturer at the Lagos State University.

Other past roles include:

 Staff Member, United Nations Operations in Somalia, Justice Division, UNOSOM II.

Member, United Nations Secretary General’s Committee of Experts on Conduct and Discipline of UN, Peacekeeping Personnel around the globe, Member, 2006.

Partner in Law Firm of Osinbajo, Kukoyi & Adokpaye

Yemi Osinbajo is the Pastor in charge of the Lagos Province 48 (Olive Tree provincial headquarters) of The Redeemed Christian Church of God.

After the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, Yemi was tasked, with other notable Nigerians, to design and produce a manifesto for the new political party. This culminated in the presentation of the “Roadmap to a New Nigeria”, a document published by APC as its manifesto if elected to power.

The highlights of the Roadmap included a free schools meal plan, a conditional cash transfer to the 25 million poorest Nigerians if they enroll children in school and immunise them. There were also a number of programs designed to create economic opportunities for Nigeria’s massive youth population.

On 17 December 2014 the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, retired General Muhammadu Buhari, announced Osinbajo as his running mate and vice-presidential candidate for the 2015 general elections.

During the 2014/2015 campaigns of the All progressives Congress, Yemi Osinbajo held numerous town hall meetings across the country as against the popular rallies that many Nigerians and their politicians were used to. One of his campaign promises, which he has recently reiterated, was the plan to feed a school child a meal per day. Beyond feeding the school children, he has recently emphasized that this plan will create jobs (another campaign promise) for those who will make it happen.

On 31 March 2015 Buhari was confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the presidential elections. Thus Osinbajo became the Vice President-elect of Nigeria. They were both sworn in on 29 May 2015. On 17 August 2017 VP Yemi Osibanjo described hate speech as a species of terrorism.

5. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi

Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is a Nigerian politician who is currently serving as the Minister of Transportation in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari. He previously served in oil-rich Rivers State as Governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015 and Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2007.

Amaechi was born in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State to the family of the late Elder Fidelis Amaechi and Mary Amaechi. His first and last names are Ikwerre meaning “God is strength or power” and “who knows tomorrow” respectively.

He was raised in Diobu, a densely populated neighbourhood in Port Harcourt.

He had his early education at St Theresa’s Primary School from 1970 to 1976. He earned his West African Senior School Certificate in 1982 after attending Government Secondary School Okolobiri. Amaechi received a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours) in English Studies and Literature from the University of Port Harcourt in 1987, where he was the President of the National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS).

He completed the mandatory National Youth Service Corps in 1988, and thereafter joined Pamo Clinics and Hospitals Limited owned by Peter Odili, where he worked until 1992.

He also a director of several companies, including West Africa Glass Industry Limited and Risonpalm Nigeria Limited.

During the transition to the Third Nigerian Republic, Amaechi was Secretary of the National Republican Convention in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. Between 1992 and 1994, he was Special

Assistant to the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili – his boss believed in Amaechi as a young man with potential in politics, and brought him under his wing. In 1996, he was the Rivers State’s Secretary of the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) caretaker committee during the transition programme of General Sani Abacha.

In 1999, he contested and won a seat to become a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly to represent his constituency. He was subsequently elected as the Speaker of the House of Assembly. Amaechi was elected the Chairman of Nigeria’s Conference of Speakers of State Assemblies. In May 2003, he was re-elected as the Speaker.

In 2003, when the National Assembly moved to hijack the legislative functions of the State House of Assembly as enshrined in the constitution, he and his colleagues took the matter to Supreme Court.

As speaker, Amaechi used his close working relationship with Governor Peter Odili to increase the harmonious relationship between the Executive and Legislative arms of government in Rivers State, until when Rotimi Amaechi launched a campaign against the State Government, and verbally attacked the image of the State Governor, in an effort to succeed Peter Odili as governor in 2007.

In 2007, Amaechi contested and won the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primary for Rivers State Governor in 2007. His name was substituted by the party, an action which he challenged in court. The case eventually got to the Supreme Court. He became governor on October 26, 2007, after the Supreme Court ruled that he was the rightful candidate of the PDP and winner of the April 2007 Governorship election in Rivers State.

His administration invested in infrastructure development, construction of roads and bridges, sticking to the vision of connecting all parts of the state by road. The governor was also committed to urban renewal and modernization of transportation services. His administration began building a monorail to provide mass transportation within the city of Port Harcourt. Some power plant projects (Afam, Trans Amadi, Onne) were also built to improve power supply in the State.

He was re-elected for a second term on 26 April 2011. In August 2013, Amaechi was amongst seven serving governors who formed the G-7 faction within the PDP. In November 2013, Amaechi alongside five members of the G-7 defected to the new opposition party the All Progressives Congress (APC) and became director general of Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential campaign.

In 2015, following Muhammadu Buhari’s election, Amaechi was appointed to his cabinet as Federal Minister of Transportation. In July 2019, he was re-nominated for ministerial appointment by President Buhari.

Amaechi was ask to take a bow and go during his screening by the Senate.

6. Kayode Fayemi

John Olukayode Fayemi, is a Nigerian politician who is currently serving as the Governor of Ekiti State, in office since 16 October 2018. He previously served in office between 2010 and 2014 before losing re-election to Ayodele Fayose.

He was also the Minister of Solid Minerals Development in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet from 11 November 2018 to 30 May 2018, when he resigned to contest for a second time as Governor of Ekiti State.

John Olukayode Fayemi was born on 9 February 1965 a Yoruba native of Isan-Ekiti in Oye Local Government of Ekiti State.

Fayemi attended Christ’s School Ado Ekiti from 1975 to 1980. He later went on to receive degrees in History, Politics and International Relations from the University of Lagos and University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University).

From 1989 to 1992, he underwent Doctorate program in War Studies from King’s College London, specializing in civil-military relations.

From 1985 to 1986, he was a Lecturer at the Nigeria-Police Training College in Sokoto.

From 1987 to 1989 he was a Research Officer at Development & Management Consultants in Ikeja.

From 1991 to 1993 he was a Research Officer at the African Research and Information Bureau in London.

In 1992, he was a Tutorial Fellow at the War Studies Department at Kings College, London. From 1993 to 1995, he was the Strategy Development Adviser of Deptford City Challenge in London. From 1995 to 1997, he was the Secretary General of the Media Empowerment for Africa (The Radio Foundation) in London.

He was also a journalist with The Guardian and City Tempo; and the Editor of Nigeria-Now, a defunct political monthly magazine.

In 1997, Fayemi returned to Nigeria where he established the Centre for Democracy & Development, a research and training institution dedicated to the study and promotion of democratic development, peace-building and human security in Africa, where he served as Director from 1997 to 2006.

Kayode Fayemi has lectured in Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia. He has also served as an adviser on transitional justice, regional integration, constitutionalism, security sector reform and civil-military relations issues to various governments, inter-governmental institutions and development agencies.

 He was the main technical adviser to Nigeria’s The Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission (Oputa Panel), which investigated past abuses and served on the Presidential Implementation Committees on Security Sector Reform, NEPAD and the Millennium Development Goals. He was technical expert to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on small arms and light weapons and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa on governance issues.

At other times he has served as a consultant to the OECD on Security Sector Reform and chaired the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative’s Committee of Experts on developing guiding principles and mechanisms of constitution making in Commonwealth Africa.

In 2007, Fayemi made his entry into politics by contesting for Governor of Ekiti State. After three and a half years fighting through the legal system, on 15 October 2010 the appeal court sitting in Kwara state declared Fayemi the duly elected Governor of Ekiti State, and marked the end of Olusegun Oni’s administration as the then Governor of the state.

In April 2014, Fayemi was endorsed as the governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress in the state’s gubernatorial elections slated for 21 June 2014. The emergence of Fayemi was preceded by congress held before the governor who had no contestant was endorsed as the flag bearers of their state in the governorship elections. Kayode Fayemi was defeated at the polls on 21 June 2014 by previous governor Ayodele Fayose.

Fayemi recontested for second term as Ekiti state governor under the platform of the All Progressive Congress in the 14 July, 2018 governorship election after resigning as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development.

He was officially declared as the winner of the Governorship election in Ekiti state by the Independent National Electoral Commission on 15 July 2018. He won by 19,345 votes against the Peoples Democratic Party’s Kolapo Olusola Eleka who was second.

In October 2018, Fayemi was sworn in as Ekiti State governor for the second time.

Fayemi was elected Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. This announcement was made by the immediate past chairman, Abdulaziz Yari on Wednesday evening. He said Fayemi was unanimously elected by the governors to lead the forum till 2021.

7. Ahmed Lawan

Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan is a Nigerian senator who serves as the President of the Senate of Nigeria. He represents Yobe North Constituency of Yobe State under the All Progressive Congress. His tenure as a senator started since 2007 Nigeria general election.

In 2019, he emerged the new Senate President of the 9th National Assembly with 79 votes cast to beat Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume with 28 votes.

Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan was a lecturer with a Nigeria federal university of Maiduguri, Borno North-Eastern state and a politician and senator now the president of the Nigerian senate.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Maiduguri in 1984, a postgraduate diploma degree in Land Surveying from the Ahmadu Bello University, a master’s degree in Remote Sensing from the Ahmadu Bello University and a Doctorate degree in Remote Sensing/GIS from Cranfield University, UK, in 1990 and 1996 respectively.

Elected to the House of Representatives for the northern state of Yobe in 1999, at different times Lawan chaired the House Committees on education and agriculture.

Lawan was elected to the Senate in 2007.

In 2008, he was a member of the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Constitution Review.

In 2009, as chairman of the Senate committee on Public Accounts, Lawan initiated and sponsored the Desertification Control Commission Bill.

In August 2009, Senator Lawan spoke against the proposed Kafin Zaki Dam. He stated that the Tiga Dam and Challawa Gorge Dam had already reduced water flow drastically, and the Jama’are River was now the main source of water in the Yobe River. He said the dams caused intense poverty, increased desert encroachment, migration and conflicts between arable farmers and herdsmen.

Lawan ran for reelection in Yobe North Senatorial District on the ANPP platform in the 9 April 2011 elections. He won with 92,799 votes, trailed by Hassan Kafayos Hussaini of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with 76,960 votes.

In 2015 Lawan ran for the senate president after APC zoned the position to the north eastern Nigeria based on the party’s power sharing formula among the six geo-political zones at the time.

The zoning meant that only senators elected on the platform of the party (APC) from the six states in the north east could run for senate president. After consultations with critical political stakeholders and senators elect from the north east, Lawan was endorsed and presented to the national leadership of the party who anointed him as the candidate of the party for senate president.

The APC zoning arrangement prevents other senators elect who are form other zones from contesting for the seat. But Senator Bukola Saraki from Kwara State, north central disagreed with the party’s arrangement saying all qualified candidates should be allowed to exercise their constitutional rights to run for positions of leadership of the Nigerian Senate.

Saraki declared his candidacy against the party’s zoning principle.

On the morning of June 9, 2015 the day for the election of the senate president, 51 senators of the APC gathered at the International Conference Centre waiting for a truce meeting reportedly called by the leadership of the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari with a clear objective to prevail on Senator Saraki to drop his ambition and support Lawan when 57 senators mostly of the opposition PDP and a few senators of APC present conducted the election.

 Saraki won the election by 57 unanimous votes of the senators present during the election.

Lawal was at the International Conference Centre when the election was conducted and a winner emerged. That event finally nailed his ambition for the president of the 8th senate.

In 2019, after meeting with the Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, June 6, 2019, Senator Danjuma Goje stepped down for Senator Lawan from the Senate Presidency race.

On June 11, 2019, Senator Ahmed Lawan of APC was elected and sworn in as the Senate President of the Nigerian 9th Assembly, after defeating his opponent, Senator Ali Ndume who is also an APC Senator.

Senator Ahmed Lawan defeated his opponent with 79 votes to 28.

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