Politics
Senate Presidency: Over 30 APC Senators ‘Back’ Ndume, See Why
No fewer than thirty-six senators on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria’s ruling party, are backing Ali Ndume, a senator representing Borno south at the Nigerian Senate, for the position of Senate President.
Naija News reports that a senator-elect who did not want to be named, made this known on Tuesday while speaking with select journalists on the sidelines of the induction exercise for members of the incoming national assembly at Transcorp Hilton hotel in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
This online news platform understands that the ruling party has already thrown its weight behind Senate leader, Ahmad Lawan, for the position, but Ndume insists on running.
Speaking after a meeting with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday, Ndume told journalists that he would still contest for the number one position in the Senate.
The senator-elect, who is from the north, said some of them are angry because “juicy” committees have been shared among those supporting Lawan.
“There are about 36 senators-elect who are rooting for Ndume and that is because we are angry about how they are going about this senate presidency thing,” he said.
“How will Lawan suggest that APC senators have donated their senators-elect for him to realise his senate presidency bid. They have gone ahead to share committees already excluding us.
“Things are not done that way.”
The senator-elec said those supporting Ndume are angry over the “bullying” by the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.
Naija News recalls that APC won 62 senate seats in the 2019 election.
Recently, the senator representing Abia south in the Nigerian Senate, Eyinnaya Abaribe, said Oshiomhole was not in a position to dictate to them on who to elect into the office of number three citizen.