Outgoing Ebonyi State governor, Chief David Umahi, has declared his interest to contest the position of the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly, insisting that for equity, justice and fairness, the Senate President position should be zoned to the South-East geopolitical zone of the country.
Umahi, who made the declaration at the State Executive Council chambers, New Government House, Abakaliki, while addressing journalists on Wednesday, said that he was putting himself forward having been in public service and given his wealth of experience in public administration and governance.
The chairman, South-East Governors Forum, whose declaration was greeted with wild applause, maintained that this was the time to break protocol and bend rules by the National Assembly in a bid to build a new Nigeria and also focus on how to redeem the country.
LEADERSHIP reports that Umahi is a Senator-elect, having won the February 25 senatorial election to represent Ebonyi South in the 10th National Assembly.
“I urge the winners of different positions in All Progressives Congress (APC) to be magnanimous in victory. Let me also plead and request the leadership of APC and the President-elect to please for the sake of equity, justice and fairness zone the Senate President to South-East and the Speaker of House of Representatives to North-West.
“This is for inclusiveness, it will assure Nigerians of a total reunion and it will also calm frayed nerves. Miracle is when God set aside rules and break protocols. Am asking the APC leadership, the National Assembly leadership to set aside the rules, so that we can get the best for the leadership of the National Assembly.
“If the APC family zones the Senate Presidency to the South-East, I am indicating interest on the platform that I have been in public service for the past 16 years, so you can rightly say that I understand administration and when you have administered a state which is more complex more than any other position other than that of the Presidency.
“I want to put myself forward and I plead with the National Assembly to amend the rules. We should be looking for the best. Anyone elected into the National Assembly is the best but let God be allowed to choose. We need to elect a leadership that will rebuild the nation.
“I put myself forward without prejudice to whatever is the will of God and the wish of our party leadership, the President-elect and Vice President-elect. I will not go against their wish but as a human being and out of conviction, I put myself forward subject to zoning the Senate President to South-East,” Umahi stated.
Governor Umahi maintained that the people of South-East has every reason to aspire for the position of Senate President, adding that, “We courageously left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to join APC, we have supported the unity of this country inspite of the the situation and attacks and today we are justified.”
He also urged the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and that of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to withdraw all litigations against the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for a focused and united country.
