Sen. Ali Ndume (APC Borno-South) has said that the North East zone will not flout the party’s zoning arrangement even if it fails to secure the Senate Presidency slot.
Ndume stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He said that although the North-East, particularly Borno, deserved the position, the zone would respect the party’s decision even otherwise.
Sen. Ndume said that the contest was between the North East and the North Central zones, adding that the condenders were waiting for the party’s decision to know whethwr or not to continue their bid.
“What we are still waiting for is the zoning, I am a party man, the party is supposed to guide members as to where the Senate presidency is suppose to come from.
“We are agitating that the Senate Presidency should be zoned to the North-East for obvious reasons.
“If the party decides that it is North Central that means I am out already but if the party decides that it is going to North East, you know I am one of the number contenders.
“ I am in this race, it is not basically personal; I will be in the race if it is zoned to North East, if it is not zoned to North East, I will not be in the race.
“If it is zoned to the North East I will have to be in the race because Borno State deserves to be given that Senate Presidency.”
He explained that the state had been so devastated by insurgency, adding that the state also gave 100 per cent of its votes to the APC which was why the position should be zoned to it.
Ndume said that he was in the race to be a Senate President that would make a difference and not a senators’ president.
He said that any senator was qualified to preside over the senate as all senators are supposed to be equal.
“So we are agitating that it should be zoned to North East, but if it is zoned to another zone, that closes our case and we will go with what the party zoned to us.”
Ndume, however, said that it was other senators that would determine who would preside over them and advised whoever emerges not to be carried away with the powers of the senate president.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there senators from the North East; Senators Ndume, Danjuma Goje Ahmed Lawan are vying for the presidency of the senate along with other contenders from the North Central zone, including former Governors of Benue and Kwara, Senators George Akume and Bukola Saraki.