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Major Political Roles Lawan remained a senator for Yobe North across successive election cycles and later joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the realignment that preceded the 2015 elections. In June 2019, he was elected President of the Senate of the 9th National Assembly. His leadership style was characterised by a cooperative relationship with the executive arm of government, a posture that generated both praise and criticism. In 2022, Lawan purchased the APC presidential nomination form and contested in the party’s primaries, where he lost. After the defeat, he returned to seek the Yobe North senatorial ticket, a ticket that had already been won by Bashir Machina in a validly conducted primary. Although Nigeria’s electoral law prohibits candidates from contesting two offices in the same election cycle, the dispute escalated through the courts until February 2023, when the Supreme Court declared Lawan as the APC candidate. The judgment displaced Machina and sparked national debate on party democracy and the extent of political incumbency. Achievements and Impact Under his Senate presidency, several major reforms were passed, most notably the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which restructured Nigeria’s oil and gas legal framework after decades of delay. The Senate also passed amendments to the Electoral Act, reforming candidacy rules and voting infrastructure. Lawan also channelled attention and resources to the North-East, particularly at a time when Yobe and neighbouring Borno were affected by insurgency and socio-economic decline. His long tenure gave him substantial institutional experience and bargaining power within federal politics. Personal Life
