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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has dropped his senate presidency bid and endorsed the immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.
Umahi, who will be a first-time senator when the 10th Senate is inaugurated in June, said he met with the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who told him not to run.
The senate’s standing orders favour ranking lawmakers, returning senators with legislative experience.
Speaking with reporters after a meeting with Akpabio on Friday, Umahi said he was also not considering the post of deputy senate president.
“My brother (Akpabio) came to consult with me.
“Yesterday, I saw the president-elect on his invitation and he told me that he is already committed, and that please ‘don’t run’ and I accepted and stepped down for my brother, Senator Akpabio.
“He is my consensus candidate. I also step down for him as the deputy senate president,” he said.
Also speaking, the senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, said Akpabio is the president’s preferred choice. He, however, did not state who he was referring to between President Muhammadu Buhari and the president-elect.
“As you can see, I am leading the campaign for Akpabio because he is the president’s preferred candidate and we have to put the interest of the country, the party, above any other interest,” Ndume said.
It was gathered that Tinubu personally asked Ndume to lead Akpabio’s campaign for the senate presidency seat.
The development came few hours after Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, disclosed that Akpabio is the next senate president.
Orji Uzor Kalu, the current chief whip of the senate, is also eyeing the senate presidency seat.