I will contest for Senate president, Ndume insists

…Says he is still holding consultations .Group drums support for Borno South senator

…Dogara kicks against imposition of leaders on 9th NASS

Mathew Dadiya and Tom Okpe, Abuja

Senator Ali Ndume has said he will not step down his quest to contest for the position of Senate president in the ninth National Assembly despite his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) directive that it has named its candidate.

Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, said this on Monday, after meeting with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Ndume said that was still eyeing the number one position in the Senate.

He arrived at Aso Rock around 3pm before proceeding to Osinbajo’s office for the meeting.

The ruling party, APC is expected to produce the next crop of National Assembly leaders after emerging with the majority lawmakers in the two chambers.

The Daily Times recalls that penultimate week, the party leadership and President Muhammadu Buhari had endorsed Ahmad Lawan as the party’s candidate for Senate President in the ninth National Assembly.

In spite the party’s decision, Ndume said he will run against Lawan who took over his position as Senate Leader after the Borno lawmaker fell out with Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

At the end of the one-hour meeting with Osinbajo, State House correspondents asked Ndume if he had withdrawn from the race and he asked rhetorically: “Me?”

He declined to comment on the issues discussed with the Vice President but said he was still consulting over his bid to chair the ninth assembly.

“This is not the time to talk now because I am still holding consultations,” he said.

Also reminded that he was said to be opposition bride, he also replied, “Me that is regarded as enemy by opposition?

Ndume had last week rolled out a nine-point agenda which he said he would implement if elected the next Senate President.

He promised to make the office of the Senate President less attractive by cutting some of the privileges attached to it as well as uphold the Independence of the Legislative arm of government and “work harmoniously and inter-dependently with the Executive without undermining the principle of Separation of Power”.

He said he will prioritise and ensure the passage of the Constituency Development Bill to make “Constituency projects more transparent, accountable, efficient and effective”.

Meanwhile, the National Coalition in Defence of Democracy (NCDD) has called on the newly elected members of the National Assembly irrespective of party affiliations to consider Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume as the Senate President of the 9th National Assembly when inaugurated in May.

The group said Ndume, a three term Senator from Borno South Senatorial District, Borno State, a patriot, a detribalised Nigerian and an experienced member of the National Assembly who has contributed to the growth of our democracy, is a better choice for the position of the President of the Nigerian Senate.

The group led by its National Coordinator, Ambassador Auwal Alhassan Gama, in a press conference in Abuja on Monday, said: “The decision to call for support for Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume’s emergence as the next Senate President is borne out of our desire for a healthy working relationship between the Executive and the Legislature for a better delivery of democratic dividends.

“It is our belief that he will bring his matured sense of reasoning, experience and fear of God into play as the Chairman of the National Assembly; he is one politician we know and trust will unite all interest in the 9th assembly.”.

The forum held a meeting in Lagos recently with all the State Coordinators and FCT with the National Executives to present report on the just concluded general elections and the way forward.

“The forum observed among other things that one of the reasons why the present government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari did not meet up the expectations of many Nigerians in the areas of Infrastructure and Human development was a result of the sour relationship between the Executive and the Legislative arms of Government.

This has created setbacks in the areas of non-full implementation of the budget and alteration on key intended project by the government”, he said.

Ambassador Auwal emphasised the above observation and the need to get it right this time around for the smooth running of the affairs of the government, adding that “as we go into yet a new term of four years mandate given to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Ninth National Assembly by the Nigerian people is what informed this press conference.

“While we salute the courage and goodwill of the presidency in allowing the independence of all arms of government to run its activities independently. It is equally important for all stakeholders including the APC National Working Committee to provide a level playing ground for all its members at the North Eastern part of the country who deemed it fit to contest”.

The group urged all members-elect of the National Assembly, especially those of the upper chamber to support the call for Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume’s Senate Presidency, adding “We were part of the process that brought you onboard and it is our humble plea and belief that Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume will not disappoint us”.

In a related development, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has advised against imposing leaders on members of the ninth National Assembly.

Dogara spoke during the induction of senators-elect and House of Representatives members-elect in Abuja.

The speaker said it is advisable to allow the leadership of the upper and lower legislative chambers emerge from the legislators instead of being forced on them.

He advised the parties involved to make sure they have the backing of the legislature because “they own the process.”

“Well, I’m not here to dictate to parties, the parties have their manifestos, the way to do their businesses, but one thing I have said and if you followed the business during this induction, it is always better to allow the leadership to emerge from the people,” he said.

“Where leadership has been forced upon the people, the history in the National Assembly, and in fact, the history of Nigeria, it has never endured.

“The least we could afford in the National Assembly is crisis on account of the leadership selection process.

“So whoever a party is sponsoring and supporting, they should make sure they have the backing of the legislature so that they accept it because they own the process and they own the leadership.

“That way, it will be good but in a situation it is forced, literally driven down the throat, in most cases it doesn’t augur well.

“Even in the Senate it doesn’t augur well. In the House of Representatives too, it doesn’t augur well too.”

He asked members to take their time to study those who have shown interest in different positions in the assembly, look out for those who can actualise their aspirations better and surpass the record of the eight assembly.

“My advice is that we stay calm to understand the people going in for these positions of leadership in the National Assembly,” he said.

“At the end of the day, we are praying that we have those leaders who will be able to sustain what we have done in the eight assembly or even surpass what we have done. We don’t want leadership that will take us back.

“We have made a lot of mileage and we hope that we will be able to get the kind of leadership that will build on the achievements of this assembly which is unparalleled in our legislative history.

“I will advise members to actually look out for those who have thrown themselves into the race to see who it is that will aggregate their aspirations better and then will be able to surpass the record of this assembly,” Dogara counseled.