Several senators are believed to have been penciled down by President Bola Tinubu to get an automatic return ticket in 2027, including the Majority Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

The senators were said to have been rewarded for allegedly “stabilising” the National Assembly in their respective roles since 2023.

However, the disclosure came Monday amid silence from the Red Chamber as efforts to confirm the veracity of the claim from the leadership of the Senate, failed.

It was the Governor of Kebbi State, Nasir Idris, popularly known as Kauran Gwandu, who dropped the hint during an interaction with political stakeholders in the state.

Aside from Opeyemi, who represents Ekiti-Central, other lawmakers listed, included Adamu Aliero (Kebbi-Central); Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara-West), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia -North); Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi-North); Abdullahi Yahaya Abubakar (Kebbi-North); Idiat Oluranti Adebule (Lagos-West); Danjuma Goje (Gombe-Central); and Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos-East).

The governor further explained that the senators provided steady leadership by “fostering cooperation with the executive arm of government, and ensuring the smooth passage of key policies and reforms.”

He was also quoted as saying that their efforts had “significantly helped in stabilising the Senate and strengthening governance under the current administration.”

However, as of Monday night, there was no official public communication from either the Presidency or the All Progressives Congress (APC), confirming this automatic ticket development.

The Senate too did not make any comment on the issue, neither from Bamidele’s office nor from that of the spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu.

The development came amid another seeming Abia State APC leadership tussle between senator Kalu and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Benjamin Kalu.

Both lawmakers claimed on Monday that they received the blessing of President Bola Tinubu to lead and coordinate the party in Abia state.

Kalu, a former governor of the state, took to his Facebook page to thank Tinubu for the honour.

He wrote, “I sincerely thank His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the confidence reposed in me and the marching order to coordinate activities in Abia State in respect of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

Kalu added, “As the most senior Governor in the state, I am committed to working closely with all stakeholders, in line with the President’s directive, to ensure that the APC in Abia produces candidates who are widely acceptable, united in purpose, and well-positioned to secure victory in the state for the President’s re-election, while advancing the best interests of Abia State and Nigeria at large.”

On his part, the deputy speaker said Tinubu directed during a meeting held on Friday that in states where the APC has no sitting governor, the “highest ranking political office holder like the Deputy Speaker”, should take charge of affairs.

He too, like the former governor, thanked Tinubu for the recognition.

It is unclear how things will pan out in the state in the build up to the polls in 2027. (Nigerian Tribune)