President Bola Tinubu has rebuffed a quiet lobbying effort by senators seeking automatic return tickets ahead of the next general elections, reaffirming that state governors will retain decisive influence over candidate selection, a senior Senate source has disclosed.
The president met on Wednesday with the extended leadership of the Senate at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during what lawmakers described as an “emergency and strategic” engagement following a closed-door executive session earlier in the day.
The delegation, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, arrived at the State House shortly after plenary was adjourned, amid indications that the meeting was prompted by resolutions reached during the Senate’s private deliberations.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed the meeting in a post on X (formerly Twitter), but did not provide details of the discussions.
A communication attributed to Senate leadership and shared by the presidency noted that “far-reaching decisions were taken at this strategic meeting, which deliberated on matters of urgent national importance.”
Similarly, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, in a statement on social media, confirmed his participation in the talks, describing them as a response to issues arising from the Senate’s executive session.
“Far-reaching decisions were taken at this strategic meeting, which deliberated on matters of urgent national importance,” Bamidele said, without elaborating.
However, a National Assembly source familiar with the discussions said the meeting was convened to seek assurances from the president that sitting senators would secure party tickets without internal contests.
According to the source, the senators argued that granting automatic tickets would promote continuity and stability within the legislature.
“The meeting was to plead for automatic tickets for senators, but President Tinubu insisted that the governor of each state has influence over candidates,” the source said.
The president, the source added, rejected the proposal and emphasised the central role of governors in shaping party structures at the state level, including determining party nominees.
“He told them plainly that governors are the leaders of the party in their states and must have a say on who gets the ticket,” the source disclosed.
