Lawan is a celebrity name in our Land – S’East Group Replies Shettima

Socio-political group, Ohafia Youths Peace Initiative, says the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan is a household name in the council area.

The group stated this in a statement signed by its Deputy Director General, Prince Samuel Uduma on Saturday morning, while reacting to a statement by Senator Kashim Shettima.

The former Borno state governor had explained why he feels senate president and 2023 presidential aspirant of the All Progressive Congress, Ahmad Lawan, should not be given the ticket.

Shettima, in an interview on channels television on Friday June 3, said Lawan is not a recognisable brand name in the nation when it comes to politics.

The former Governor of Borno state who is backing former Governor of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu to get the ticket, maintained that Lawan can’t match up with the likes of Atiku Abubakar, the elected presidential aspirant of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, and that his name is an unsellable brand name in other areas of Southern Nigeria.

He also claimed that if the Senate President’s name is mentioned in Ohafia, Abia state, people in the area will think he is “a tomato dealer”.

Reacting to the statement, the youth group said the majority of the Ohafia people were supporting Ahmad Lawan.

“The statement by Kashim Shettima shows that Tinubu and his supporters are desperate politicians with questionable characters.

“Ahmad Lawan is a popular figure in Ohafia, Abia North senatorial district and Nigeria at large. We are in support of his ambition since people like Tinubu, Osinbajo, Amaechi and others won’t support the South-East geo-political zone to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

“Lawan was in Igbere in December 2020. Just this year, he was in Isuikwuato and Nkporo to commission projects attracted by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who is the Chief Whip of the Senate.

“How can Shettima say our people don’t know Senator Ahmad Lawan? We are not dull people. We had the First Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos and University of Nigeria in the person of Prof. Eni Njoku. The cerebral Professor of Political Science, Late Kalu Ezera is an Ohafia man. Why would Shettima try to ridicule our people?

“We are following the activities of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, with keen interest. We are supporting the North East geo-political zone since people like him refused to support the South-East geo-political zone,” the group said.