The newly elected Nigerian Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, has revealed that the senator representing Abia North senatorial district and former governor of Abia state, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, was his roommate at the University of Maiduguri in 1980.

The Senate president made the disclosure when Kalu hosted him and some federal lawmakers, including deputy Senate president, Ovie Omo-Agege, to a dinner at his Abuja residence, The Cable reports. It was gathered that Lawan expressed his gratitude to Kalu for organising the dinner and pledged that under him, senators would unite across party lines.

He said: “The Nigerian project is a project of the Nigerian people and not a political party’s project and everybody must ensure that it works.

“In the 9th senate, we are going to work together and we will distribute functions across party lines.” Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that upon the victory of their party's preferred candidates as leaders of the newly inaugurated ninth National Assembly, the governors elected on the platform of All Progressive Congress, APC.

In another historical event that signposted the beginning of new parliament in the country, Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila were elected Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.

The two lawmakers came victorious with landslide, defeating other contenders having received the backing and blessing of their party, APC.

Reacting to the victory, the governor under the aegis of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) congratulated the new NASS leadership and promised to form a stronger synergy with them in a bid to bring effectiveness and change to government.

In a letter signed by its chairman, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state, the forum described the emergence of both Lawan and Gbajabiamila as a victory for "leadership quality, strength of character, patience and interpersonal relationship".