Tobias Sylvester
A former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, has said that his ambition to be the Senate president of the ninth Senate is aimed at contributing to the development of the country at a higher level.
Ndume said this in reaction to a plea by the the Arewa Youth Political Vanguard who begged him and Danjuma Goje not to ruin the opportunity of producing a North East Senate President with their personal aspirations.
Ndume who spoke to journlists in Abuja Wednesday declared that “my mission for the ninth Senate is not personal but is part of what we need to do for the progress of the polity of this country”.
According to him, the Senators-elect are supposed to decide who among them is to lead them “and that is taken care of by Section 50(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”
He acknowledged that he is not the most qualified candidate for the position of Senate president. He said:
“Let me quickly add that it is not to say that I think I am more qualified to be the Senate president. I am not better than them in any way. Most of them were born with silver spoons; I came from a very poor background. My father was not educated. I am the son of nobody that became somebody.
“I am a human being that has rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which I won’t compromise.
“Even before I threw my hat into the ring for the Senate president’s seat, my people called on me to go for the position.”
He attributed his vying for the coveted position to three reasons, including being eminently qualified and zoning of the position to North-east where he comes from.
“One, I feel I am qualified. Two, I feel I should be given the chance. Three, the zoning was made to North-east deliberately because of the precarious situation that we find ourselves,” he explained.
