Ndume: I’ll be Senate President of 9th Assembly

TRACKING>>A former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, yesterday expressed optimism that he would emerge as the Senate President in the ninth National Assembly. Ndume said that he had the support of his colleagues in the Senate and party leaders to contest for the position. Addressing journalists in Lagos, Ndume who said he was not in the race to bargain for juicy position, also said he has consulted with a lot of party leaders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and none has asked him to withdraw for anyone. He said that even the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, the had said that the party only recommended Senator Ahmad Lawan as their preferred choice and are not trying to impose him on the senators. He said: “We have 109 senators and each of them has one vote.

If you are contesting to be the senate president, you have to reach out. But at the beginning, I was cautious because I am a party man. So, when the party said don’t go there because if you do, you will be disciplined, I stayed back. But the party came out again and said ‘ you can reach out to them now and so I reached out to them.

So far, I thank God that the response I am getting from my colleagues from the other party is very encouraging. The same thing from my colleagues in APC. I am in this race to win. So, I am talking to everybody. I have all the numbers of the 109 senators-elect and I call them “I have written the party, indicating my intention to contest.

Even my national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, publicly said they only recommended Lawan and not they are stopping anybody. As I speak with you, nobody has consulted me to say ‘don’t run for Senate President’. Everybody has the constitutional right to do that” he said. Speaking on his nine point agenda, Ndume who currently represents Borno South promised to improve upon the performance of the 8th Senate, adding that he will make the Office of the Senate President less attractive by reducing the unnecessary privileges attached to the office.

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