Senate President Ahmed Lawan
Senate President Ahmed Lawan
SP Lawan Condoles with Channels TV, Police on
Loss
The President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, has expressed
profound sadness over the avoidable loss of lives in the violent
clash of members of Islamic Movement in Nigeria with security
agents deployed to maintain law and order in Abuja on Monday July
22, 2019.
Senator Lawan expresses his condolences to the management of
Channels Television on the tragic death of their reporter, Precious
Owolabi, in the incident.
The President of the Senate says it is tragic that a brilliant
life and professional prospect was abruptly cut short in a manner
that diminishes us as citizens of a democratic nation.
Lawan extends his condolences to the family of Mr Owolabi, the
National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and Nigerian Union of
Journalists (NUJ) on the painful loss of their son, member and
colleague.
He also sends his condolences to the family of Usman Umar and
the Nigeria Police over the death of their son and Deputy
Commissioner of Police (Operations) during the incident.
Lawan sympathises with the families of other victims of the
tragic incident.
The President of the Senate strongly condemns the habitual
resort to violence by members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria
under the guise of the exercise of their rights to freedom of
association and expression.
Senator Lawan also deplores the excessive use of force by the
security agents on the protesters.
He calls on the security agencies to evolve a new approach for
peaceful enforcement of law and order, even in the face of
provocations.
Finally, the President of the Senate urges the Federal
Government to find a speedy resolution to the agitation by members
of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, within the context of the rule
of law and national peace and security. All lawful options need to
be considered towards avoiding carnage from needless confrontations
of citizens with the security forces.
Signed.
Ola Awoniyi.
Special Adviser on Media
to the President of the Senate.
………………..
We Will Be Guided By National Interest— Senate President
Senate President, Ahmed Lawan on Monday said Senators would be
guided by national rather than personal interest in discharging
their responsibilities.
The Senate President stated this when he played host to chairmen
of state chapters of the All Progressive Congress(APC).
“This Senate will subsume any individual interest for our
collective interest,” said a statement by his Special Assistant on
Media and Publicity, Mohammed Isa, quoting Lawan.
Lawan said the senate would focus on issues that would enhance
better security environment, better power supply and an economy
that will provide job opportunities for youths.
“These are things that will continue to unite us. It is when we
are able to tackle those issues in the collective interest of
Nigeria particularly, that we are able to enjoy the privileges that
we have,” the Senate President said.
The APC senators, he said, are committed to the success of
President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, adding, “we will
ensure we work seamlessly with President Muhammed Buhari and the
party.
“We have been elected to represent the Nigerian people. Mr.
President was overwhelmingly elected. We will have no difficulty in
working with Mr. President.
He called for a dispute resolution mechanism in the APC to
amicably resolve any issue that might arise within the party.
“From my experience in 2019 elections or the process leading to
the elections, we need to have a better dispute resolution
mechanism,” the Senate President told his guests.
Lawan said the APC needs to have such dispute resolution
mechanism because the party could not afford to have any of its
chapter in disarray.
Lawan said APC should be disposed to ensuring that all chapters
of the party are able to contribute to national development.
“So I will advocate for a dispute resolution mechanism that will
ensure that our party is able to deal with issues as they
emerge.
“Of course, naturally, we may have disagreement from time to
time but what is important and crucial will be how we are able to
tackle the disagreement and come back to agree and move forward,”
Lawan said.
He expressed gratitude to the PDP Senators for their
overwhelming support, and reiterated his commitment to lead a
bipartisan legislature.
According to Lawan, “we are happy we have the support of our
colleagues from the opposition parties. They have demonstrated
their commitment to work with us.
“We too have also resolved to work with them in the interest of
our country and for Mr. President and our party to succeed in
taking us to the next level”.
He thanked the states chairmen of the APC for their role in the
victory of the party in 2019 general election.
Earlier in his remarks, the chairman of the Forum, who is also
the Borno state APC chairman, Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori advised the
APC senators to ensure smooth working relationship with the
executive.
Mohammed Isa
Special Assistant to the Senate President on Media and
Publicity