With the race for the leadership of the 9th Assembly causing tensions within and outside of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, has clarified the reason behind his meeting he had with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday.
Backstory: Ndume has defied the APC by declaring his intention to run for senate presidency despite the party handpicking another senator, Ahmed Lawan.
He said his meeting with the VP had nothing to do with the senate presidency:
- “I normally get in touch with him because of humanitarian issues in our state. This was what I went to discuss with him,” he said.
On whether he was willing to withdraw from the race, Ndume said “This is not the time to talk now because I am still holding consultation.”
Ndume also denied rumors that he might be making a move back or forging an alliance with his former party, the opposing Peoples Democratic Party. He stated that he didn’t think that was possible as the PDP viewed him as an “enemy”.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has warned the two major political
parties, the APC and PDP, to avoid taking the country back to the past, by
imposing leaders on the 9th Assembly.
“If
you look at the history of the National Assembly, it (imposition) has never
endured. The leadership selection process from outside the chamber has always
been causing crisis in the Assembly.
“Parties
should ensure that whoever they are supporting has the backing of the
legislators so that they can accept such candidate because they own the process
and they own the leadership.
