Senate Presidency: 5 Facts About Senator Ahmed Lawan

Following the report that President Muhammadu Buhari may have settled for the candidacy of Yobe Senator, Ahmed Lawan for the senate presidency,  5 facts about the man who could preside over the Nigerian senate for the next 4 years.

Read below:

1. Lawan was born in 1959 (56 years), he is a graduate of the University of Maidugiri where he read geography. He also has a postgraduate diploma in land survey, an MSc and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS), all from the University of Cranfield, United Kingdom. His National Youth Service Corps programme was in Benue State.

2. Lawan has never worked outside the educational sector. He became a graduate assistant at the University of Maidugiri after he graduated and he retired as an accomplished scholar and educationist before his foray into active politics. He currently represents Yobe North Senatorial District in the senate.

3. Lawan has been a member of the Nigerian parliament since the return of democracy in the country in 1999. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives in 1999. After 8 years in the lower chambers, Lawan was elected into the Nigerian Senate in 2007, and he has been a member of the upper chambers since then. He is the most experienced senator in the ranks of the All Progressives Congress.

4. Lawan has bagged so many awards that include National Honours Award of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON); Fellow of the Institute for Government Research and Leadership Technology (2012); Best Performing Senator in Yobe State in 2009 by Yobe State Students’ Association, University of Abuja Chapter; Best Senator for Effective Oversight, NUJ; Best Senator in 2011 by Baseline Global Ventures; and the Sardauna Legendary Pillar of Exemplary Leadership Award by Leadership and Role Model Foundation of Nigeria.

5. Lawan is close to the family of President Muhammadu Buhari. His relationship with the first family came to light recently as he accompanied First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on a private visit to Jos for a condolence visit to Governor Tanko Almakura after he lost his mum. Lawan is married with children.

Meanwhile, the ambition of Senator Bukola Saraki to become the next Senate president has suffered a set back after Senators from the Northwest zone denied endorsing him.