Although, the Number three position was said to have been zoned to the Northeast, where Ndume hails from. But rather than allow a process that would be acceptable to all tendencies within the party to throw up a preferred candidate for the position, some of the party leaders were said to have surreptitiously endorsed the incumbent Senate Leader,  Ahmed Lawan, ahead of Ndume and Senator Danjuma Goje on the grounds that Lawan is the choice of the party.

Reactions On Social Media

Have you asked yourself, Just maybe the problem with Nigeria isn't only the Presidency? But also the senate.

We are having the same set of individuals making laws that only favours their interests. No fresh inputs, Just recycled thoughts and schematics.

— O. Tunde ? ? (@ThePR_Captain) February 25, 2019

We all know Ahmed Lawan isn't the best candidate for senate president, we just dont want another Saraki drama.

— Haruna Abdullahi (@Maikano_013) April 30, 2019

Whoever support Ahmed lawan and Femi as Senate president and Speaker from the North. So, what ever comes out, we should blame ourselves.

— Murtala Mamuda Beli (@MamudaBeli) April 30, 2019

It seems Femi Gbajabiamila is a done deal! Nothing seems to be coming out from Ahmed Lawan's camp. The politics in the Red Chamber can be so unpredictable.

— Sunday Ogo (@Sidac06) May 4, 2019

In this light, The candidature of a former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume for the Presidency of the 9th Senate, yesterday got the blessings of Northeast Elders and Stakeholders Forum in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), Abuja and the North Central Zone of National Councillors Forum, saying that his credentials trounces that of all others vying for the position.

They further condemned attempts to impose leaders on the federal lawmakers by some power brokers.

Speaking at separate instances, the elders said it decided to weigh in on the debate as to who emerges the next senate president having observed that Ndume by his antecedents in the federal legislature appears more qualified.

Coordinator of the Elders Forum, Major Peter Janka(rtd) noted that, “the National Assembly has a vital role to play in governance, and Ndume by his antecedents is qualified to be first among equals among the egg heads in the senate to defend and project the executive desires to provide good governance to the citizenry.

“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 the  period he acted proudly to the admiration of party members irrespective of the geo political zone.

We don’t need to be reminded 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.

“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 behind the candidature of Senator Ndume as the ninth Senate President.

“Names are being mentioned here and there about who is interested in what position or the other. That is politics and everyone among the 109 Senators for instance is qualified to be the President of the Senate.

We don’t begrudge them, it is anybody’s right to aspire but we want to quickly join others calling and supporting the candidature of Senator Ali Mohammed Ndume, a ranking senator from Borno south senatorial district of Borno state.

On their part, the councilors said: “We the members and executives of the councillors forum wish to however register our sadness and concerns over the build-up to the inauguration of the 9th Senate as it simply amounts to imposition and disenfranchisement of equally qualified candidates from the fold of the ruling party, the APC.

“In the first place, we wish to reiterate that every Senator-elect is eminently qualified for the post of the Senate President but according to popular demands from the grassroots and the facts we have deduced from the musings the campaigns and mudslinging have caused, we are constrained to speak with one voice and to say that irrespective of who the party hierarchy feels the cap fits, Distinguished Senator Ali Mohammed Ndume deserves the seat”.

 

Source: Leadership