By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

Even as they belong to different camps in the pursuit of their Senate presidency ambition, the frontline runners for the exalted  office have agreed to work together and not to resort to blackmail.

Specifically, the two top contenders for the seat from the North East, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume and Senator Ahmad Lawan, have reportedly agreed to support each other after the contest.

Already, Ndume, from Borno State  and another  contender, Senator Bukola Saraki, from Kwara State, North Central, where the All Progressives Congress, APC, has  allegedly zoned the position, have allegedly formed an alliance.

Sunday Vanguard investigation revealed  that if the APC decides not to change its initial position of zoning the Senate presidency to the North Central, Ndume would join forces with other members of the camp known as The Like Minds to support Saraki.
The same support  will also be accorded to Ndume by Saraki if the position is zoned to the North East.

But despite belonging to different political camps, Ndume and  Lawan have reportedly entered into a pact  not to do anything that will tarnish the image of each other.
Ndume, who confirmed the peace pact among the contestants to Sunday Vanguard, said that senators had agreed not to wash their dirty linen in the open, adding that what they have is one Senate and will only have one Senate President at the end of the day.
According to him, anybody that comes out victorious will be supported by other contenders.

He said that he and Lawan are like brothers and will continue to be so despite their individual aspirations to become Senate President.

Meanwhile, Sunday Vanguard gathered that the political camp of Saraki has been increasing with the senators in his camp giving firm commitment to work with him.

Although there were insinuations that the North East, with about 20 senators had agreed to give block votes to Lawan, a strong member of the Saraki camp authoritatively said that about 12 senators from the zone are with The Like Minds Dino Melaye-led camp.
The source also said that the Saraki camp has at least seven senators from the South West which was said to be the stronghold of Lawan as a result of his alleged backing by the APC leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

He also said that majority of the former governors who have won election to the Senate are giving solidarity to Saraki who was a former Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, adding that the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Godswill Akpabio, is leading the South-South senators for The Like Minds camp.

It was also gathered that the former governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu, who is a senator-elect like Akpabio, has given his backing to the Saraki camp.

The member of the Saraki/Ndume camp that spoke to Sunday Vanguard on condition of anonymity said, “We must make some significant change in the National Assembly. There should be some priority on the passage of bills.