Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has declared its support for Senator Ali Ndume for the position of the President of the Senate of the 9th National Assembly.
The party in a statement issued by its National Secretary, Senator Umar Tsauri, in the early hours of Tuesday, also endorsed Umar Bago for the post os Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Both Ndume and Bago are members of the All Progressives Congress.
TSauri said the endorsement was arrived at after very extensive consultations with critical stakeholders ahead of the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly.
He said: “The final resolution on Sen. Ndume and Bago was reached at the end of a decisive meeting of members of the National Working Committee, party leaders, state governors as well as senators and members-elect on the platform of the PDP.
“This decision is in the best interest of the nation in line with our party’s determination to deepen democracy, ensure a strong and independent legislature, strict compliance with the principle of separation of powers as well as constitutional checks and balances in the polity.
“All senators and members-elect on the platform of the PDP are to be guided accordingly.”
Ndume, from Borno State, is running against Senator Ahmed Lawan from Yobe State, who is the candidate of the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari.
Bago, a three-time member of the House of Representatives, will contest against Femi Gbajabiamila, also chosen by the APC leadership and President Buhari.
Lawan and Gbajabiamila became the Leader of the Senate and Leader of the House of Representatives respectively in the 8th National Assembly after losing contests for the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House in spite of the endorsement of the party in 2015.
