Viral video purporting Senate President’s defection false, mischievous – Aide

Senate President, Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, Saturday, reacted to purported video where he was seen reading his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition political party, PDP.

In a disclaimer, which was issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Ola Awoniyi, Lawan explained that his address on a letter of resignation of one of the lawmakers from Kebbi State was edited by the purveyors to mean that he has defected.

The statement said: “We have seen on the social media a video clip in which the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, purportedly announced his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The original video clip, which was mischievously edited to 26 secs, is a 3mins 30secs clip of the Senate President reading the letter by His Excellency, Senator Muhammad Adamu Ailero of Kebbi State, informing his Distinguished senator colleagues at plenary of his defection from the APC to the PDP over issues in the state chapter of the APC.

“It is common knowledge that the Senate resumed from a recess on Tuesday and adjourned sitting on Wednesday to next Tuesday.

“So how could the Senate President have made such announcement at plenary either on Tuesday or Wednesday without it being reported by journalists who covered the proceedings?

“The fact is that, at the commencement of the session on Tuesday, the Senate President read out some correspondences, one of which was the said letter written by Senator Aliero.

“Senator Aliero was not the only Senator that officially announced his defection this week from one party to another.

“It was the video clip of the Senate President reading out Senator Aliero’s letter that was doctored to give the wrong impression that Lawan has renounced his membership of APC.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Ahmad Lawan is a committed member of the APC and has no reason whatsoever to renounce his membership of the party.

“Members of the public are hereby enjoined to discountenance the video in reference as it is the handiwork of mischief makers.”

DAILY POST recalled that Lawan has been in running battle with Alhaji Bashir Sheriff Machina over Yobe North Senatorial ticket of APC in the 2023 general election.

Lawan contested for presidential primary and lost to the former governor of Lagos State, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, while the Yobe North APC primary election earlier took place and Machina was declared winner.

But in the list of candidates submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the All Progressives Congress, APC, which was sighted by DAILY POST, Lawan was listed as the candidate for Yobe North Senatorial election.