Ali Ndume got a major boost in his bid to emerge Senate President as he secured support of elders and stakeholders from the North East geopolitical and the North Central chapter of the National Councillors Forum.

According to the group, Ndume was needed at this point in time to stabilise the relationship between the legislature and the executive.

The group made their position known while addressing a joint news conference in Abuja.

They also expressed concerns over the controversies, permutations and wagging tongues on the issue of the Senate Presidency and the preferences that has arisen.

Acting Chairman of the North East Elders and Stakeholders Forum, Major Peter Janka (rtd) said there was no doubt that the legislative arm of government needs a captain that will support, encourage and work with the executive to accelerate the achievement of the socio-economic objectives of the Buhari administration.

Major Janka said the National assembly has a vital role to play in the governance of the country, adding that by his antecedent Senator Ali Ndume remain the most qualified among the egg heads in the Senate to defend and project the executive desires to provide good governance to the citizenry.

He said “It is in view of this that we the elders and stakeholders of the Northeast people in the federal capital territory hereby decide to throw our weight and support the candidature of Senator Ndume as the ninth Senate president.

“We want to use this golden opportunity to join other million of Nigerians to congratulate members-elect of the national assembly in particular. We pray the Almighty God to give the parliamentarians the courage and wisdom and good health to justify the confidence of the people that elected them.

“We are not unmindful of other qualities of Ndume, but we believe that there would be synergy between the executive arm and the legislature. Not only that Ndume believes in judiciary that is why in his political battles the judiciary has remain his last part of call.

“Without mincing words, we hereby throw our weight and support behind Senator Ndume, an amiable, loyal and defender of party principles and ideology. He has been tested and throughout his gestation period he acted proudly to the admiration of party members irrespective of the geopolitical zone.

“We don’t need to remind that while he held sway as the Senate leader, under his watch, all the bills and letters requesting for the Senate approval were defended stoutly by Ndume.

On his part, Chairman of the Councillor’s forum in the North Central, Hon Dogara John Bassa said Senator Ndume has stood solidly behind the Buhari government, defending his policies and appointment in the 8th Senate.

He said “the appointment of Transportation minister, Rotimi Amaechi and acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, Ibrahim Magu are just few instances where Ndume put everything he has as a resolute politician to defend President Muhammadu Buhari nomination. Though it cost him his position, but the world knows that he was as fearless and committed party member.

“Besides being a ranking senator, he is a renowned party loyalist, an erudite speaker and amiable philanthropist; .He has legislative. experience since 2003 where he later became the minority leader in the House of Representatives. He later became a senate leader in the better part of the 8th Senate. His achievements in these two chambers are obvious and could be felt by all.

“He is a committed politician as he was a stabilizing force in Borno State; the outgoing governor can testify that whenever he ran into murky waters as governor, Ndume was a stabilizing force.

“He was the initiator of the Northeast development Initiative which has been given legal teeth as a commission with the assent of the bill by President Buhari making it a law to have it.

“We want to reiterate that his election as Senate president will not only be beneficial to Borno state, but even the northeast geo-political zone and not to talk of the country at large. His election as Senate president will indeed fast track, reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of the thousands displaced people in the country.”