Former Senate Leader and a
contestant for the position of Senate President of the incoming 9th Senate,
Senator Ali Ndume, has denied refusing entreaties by Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo to step down for the Senate majority leader, Ahmad Lawan.
In a statement personally signed
by him and made available to journalists on Thursday in Abuja, Ndume said
reports insinuating that his discussions with the Vice President touched on the
issue of Senate Presidency were false.
He, however, stated that his
recent visit to Prof. Osinbajo centred on his routine briefing to the vice
president on the humanitarian issues in the North East, which he said
specifically centres around the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) issues and
the situation report on the orphanages, issues which he said are dear to the
vice president.
He said, “Osinbajo didn’t ask me
to drop the idea of contesting the Senate Presidency. We only talked about
IDPs, Orphanages and related matters.
“The truth is, it is usual for me
to meet with the vice president to discuss issues of common interest,
especially the humanitarian crisis in the northeast, of which the vice
president has shown exceptional interest in helping out.
“Personally, l’m a committed
Buharist. Whether I become the Senate President or not, I will continue to
stand by him, defend his policies because I see him as a mentor. And I believe
that Mr. President has nothing against my aspiration for the office of the
Senate President because I sought his permission long before the general
election and he gave me his go-ahead. I have not heard anything otherwise from
him.
“I believe he will not go against
my aspiration, because as he said he belongs to everybody and belongs to
nobody. And he sticks to that. I am sure that the least he can do is to allow
the constitution, which he strongly believes in, and the rule of law to prevail
in the emergence of the senate leadership.
“So, I want to use this
opportunity to clear the air as to those that are trying to cause
disaffection.”
Ndume assured the All
Progressives Congress (APC) leadership of his commitment to party ideals adding
that he would do what is right within the and doing what is right in line with
the constitution of Nigeria.
He added: “What I am doing now is
to strengthen democracy, to in fact improve on or deepen democracy and to stand
by what APC believes in. Mr President stood for election. It was open. He
contested against three people. And even when it was zoned outside our zone,
Mr. President allowed a level playing ground. Okorocha contested.
“During his second term, he
subjected himself to the process of democracy that led to his emergence. During
our gubernatorial elections he came clearly to say people should be allowed to
elect persons of their choice even in his own case. So, I will be surprised if
anything otherwise comes from him.”
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