10th NASS: Umahi Visits Buhari, Declares Bid For Senate Presidency

The Governor of Ebonyi State and now Senator-elect, David Umahi, has informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his intention to contest for the President of the 10th Senate.

Naija News reports that the governor made his intent known when he met with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa.

While arguing that the South-East deserves the Senate Presidency, Umahi noted that the region made considerable efforts towards the victory of President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and that there is the need to carry every sections of the country along.

I Am Capable

According him, the issue of ranking lawmaker cannot override the Constitution of the country that guarantees equal rights to the citizenry.

The governor said that he has enough leadership records in the public sector as a two-term governor and the private sector as a businessman to lead the 10th Senate.

He told State House Correspondents, “If you say the South-East did not massively vote for APC, at least the South-East massively defended that APC should not be out-voted. This is very important.”

Umahi added, “If you look at the true reflection of our society, you will agree with me that the right thing to be done by leaders without prejudice to their rights and their thinking is that the South-East deserves number three position. This is very important.

“I’ve always said that you can deliver somebody by the reason of majority votes of a particular region, but you also need the cooperation of the minority to have a holistic nation to govern. This is very important.

“So, for inclusiveness, for the unity of the country for everybody to be carried along, nobody has been able to say, this is the reason why South-East should not be given this position.”

S/East Contribution

Umahi dismissed other aspirants who faulted the South-East’s contributions to Tinubu’s victory, saying the region must be given a stake.

He said, “Everybody in the South agreed with governors that the next President should come from the South. And that was the position of Governor Wike of Rivers State. That’s why I supported APC. And so, I had to team up with him to ensure we harvested votes in other regions for APC.

“I think that having played all these roles, having stood for the unity of this country, having boldly moved to APC at a critical time of the EndSars, we deserve a stake. The victory of APC did not come in one day. It didn’t just come during that election. A lot of people worked for it. The northern governors also worked for it.

“That’s why we are advocating and pleading for the understanding of the majority of the people that cast their votes, more than the votes we (in the South-East) gave to our party to show some understanding with us. To show some compassion considering the level of commitment.”

Mission To Buhari

On his purpose at the State House, Umahi said he came to invite the President to commission the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport in Ebonyi State.

He revealed that “Our Airport is not a Cargo airport. It is an international airport that handles domestic and international flights, as well as cargo. It is named after President Muhammadu Buhari. So I came to inform him that the airport was ready. We’ve carried out test flights. And it’s ready for him to come and commission.”

Naija News reports that Umahi is up against Godswill Akpabio, Orji Uzor Kalu, Jibrin Barau, Abdulaziz Yari, Adams Oshiomhole, Sani Musa and others for the President of the Senate.