David Umahi
BREAKING: Gov Umahi officially joins race for senate presidency
From Chinedu Nwafor, Abakaliki
Governor David Umahi and Senator-elect for Ebonyi South Senatorial zone, has officially joined the race for the Senate presidency of the 10th Senate.
Umahi declared interest officially on Wednesday during a live broadcast held at the State executive council chambers, Centenary city, Abakaliki and called on the leadership of the party to zone the position to the South East region, for equity, fairness and justice.
He, however, said he would only join the race if it’s eventually zoned to the South-East zone.
He also called on the national assembly to set aside its extant rules in order to allow the best leadership to emerge.
The Senate extant rules prohibits first timer from occupying the position of the Senate president.
Mr Umahi who would be finishing his second tenure in office as Governor on May, 29, 2023, is going to the Senate for the first time.
Umahi said: “let me plead and request the leadership of APC, the President -elect, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Vice President-elect, Alhaji Kashim Shetima, to please, for the sake of equity, fairness and justice, zone the Senate presidency to the South East and the Speaker of House of Representatives to the North West.
“This is for inclusiveness and to tell Nigerians that we are on the path for reunion. It will also calm fraying nerves.
“I’m saying this with every sense of humility and gratitude to God for giving me the opportunity to be able to say this.
“What’s is miracle? Miracle is when God sets aside rules and when protocols are broken. And I want to insist that the presidency of His Excellency, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Alhaji Kashim Shetima is a miracle, because no man would have done it if God didn’t intervene. All odds were against the APC family to win but God intervened.
“So, it’s in the same vain that I ask the APC family, the national assembly to set aside the rules, so that we can get the best for the leadership of the National Assembly. And if the leadership of the APC zones the Senate presidency to the South-East, I’m indicating interest, on the platform that I have been in public service in the past sixteen years and so, you can rightly say that I understand administration.
“The way of administering a State is more complex than other positions other than the office of the president. I want to put myself forward and I want to plead with the national assembly to amend the rules.
“God is still the breaker of protocols. We should allow God to choose the best. Let’s not set obstacle for ourselves, because we have a focus to rebuild this country.
“So, I put myself forward without prejudice to what’s the will of God and the wish of the leadership of our party, the President-elect and the Vice President-elect.
“I will not go against their decision, but as a human being and out of conviction and the Grace of God upon me, I put myself forward subject to zoning the Senate presidency to the South East.”
