As the ninth National Assembly is gradually eclipsing to pave way for the 10th session, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa representing Niger East Senatorial District may be pushed to indicate interest for the position of Senate President by Senators from the North Central geopolitical zone.
This is even as he hoped that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC would zone the number one seat of the parliament to the zone, an associate disclosed this to CAPITAL POST on Monday on condition of anonymity.
The source who is an ex-member of the Green Chamber stated that once the zoning is done and dusted and the Senate Presidency is zone to the North Central, Senator Musa who is popularly called 313 would be the dark horse to watch out for.
He however, expressed optimism that there shall be no obstacle to zoning the Senate Presidency to the zone, given that the National Chairman of the governing party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu who once represented Nasarawa North Senatorial District has understanding of the configuration of the Senate and will be fair to allow the zoning to the North Central at the appropriate time to come.
As an elder statesman, the source said, Adamu would be the last to do anything against emergence of a North Central Senator to emerge as Senate President of the 10th National Assembly.
He said, “Once the office is zone to North Central Senator Musa will run for the office of the Senate President. We hope and pray that the All Progressives Congress would zone the office to the North Central zone because the zone has proven to be APC stronghold especially Niger State that gave the highest votes in the zone.”
He said, “Senator Abdullahi Adamu will be interested in the emergence of Sani Musa as the next Senate President and he would not mind sacrificing his appointment to make that happen.”
According to him, Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan is currently occupying the office of the Senate President and as a returnee, he will not indicate interest since the Vice President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima from Borno State is also from the North East geopolitical zone like Lawan.
He said, “As we speak, I do not think Senator Lawan is longer going to contest the office of the Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.”
In the circumstance that the office is not zoned to the North Central, the source said, Musa would make himself available for the office of the Deputy Senate President. This is at the back drop of the fact that Senators from other geopolitical zones are also pushing for the office.
At the last count, Senators from other geopolitical zones pushing for the plum job are, Orji Uzor Kalu from Abia (South East), David Umahi from Ebonyi (South East) Godswill Akpabio from Akwa Ibom (South South), Barau Jibrin from Kano (North West), Abdulaziz Yari from Zamfara (North West), and Adams Oshiomhole from Edo (South South).
According to the source, Musa has started lobbying his colleagues and associates in earnest even as he is clearly the most popular Senator in the 9th Assembly because of the importance of his committee to his colleagues, majority of whom he interact with, virtually on daily basis.
CAPITAL POST recalled the lawmaker contested for the office of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, narrowly missed it as President Buhari and other leaders of the party appealed to the aspirants to step down for Senator Adamu Abdullahi.
Pundits have argued that Musa was the favoured candidate of Asiwaju Tinubu for the APC National Chairmanship then.
The fact that the Niger East senator supported the Senate President during the race for the Party’s presidential ticket did not taint the relationship between him and Tinubu.
Those who are very close to Musa argued that the billionaire entrepreneur played significant roles in the eventual emergence of the ‘Jagaban Borgu’ as president-elect.
