Lawan denies 2023 presidential ambition

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has described as untrue and puerile, reports that he is planning to run for president in 2023.

He debunked the report in a statement by his media office.

He said the report “has its source in beer parlour gossips and should be treated with the contempt which it and those who concocted it deserve”.

A media report on Friday said Mr Lawan is making moves to contest for the presidency in 2023.

Consultations were ongoing among major stakeholders in the party to make Lawan’s goal to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in office a reality, Sahara Reporters had reported.

According to SaharaReporters, “consultations were ongoing among major stakeholders in the party to make Mr Lawan’s goal to succeed President Buhari in office a reality”.

“Lawan is making moves for presidency in 2023 and this may be his first ambition in that direction.

“He is a proponent of North-east producing the next President and that is his agenda if the zoning favours the region.

“Though there are divergent views in the party as many are pushing for it to be zoned to the South,” the outlet had quoted a source.

‘Not true’

In the statement, the Senate President admitted to being involved in the consultations that the president held prior to the last emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“But there was nothing extra-ordinary in his involvement in such consultations, given his status as holder of one of the highest political offices in Nigeria and on the platform of the APC,” the official said.

“Such is required of any concerned member of the party. It is, therefore, sheer mischief for anyone to read ulterior motives to the Senate President joining hands with the President and other leaders in resolving misunderstanding in their own party.

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“We will like to stress that the Senate President’s preoccupation is with advancing the agenda of the Ninth National Assembly to focus governance on the pursuit of the best interests of the Nigerian people and to support President Buhari in delivering his promises to Nigerians,” part of the statement read.

The statement said, “it is premature for anybody to be talking now about 2023 when all hands should be on deck against the myriad of challenges that faces our nation in this period.”

This is even as he advised against corrupting journalism.