Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Former Senate Leader and Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, Sen Kabiru Gaya and Sen Orji Uzor Kalu were conspicuously missing at today’s high-profile meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and National Working Committee (NWC) members with the APC National Assembly members.
The meeting was held to conclude plans ahead of Tuesday’s election of the principal officers of the National Assembly and to formally streamline arrangements and impress on all the senators and House of Representatives members to support the candidates of the party.
The APC leadership had endorsed Ahmed Lawan as Senate President and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as Deputy Senate President while it endorsed House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker, House of Representatives and Ahmed Idris Wase as Deputy Speaker.
However, those contesting without the party’s support were absent at the meeting. Among them are Ndume, who is contesting the Senate Presidency, former governor of Abia State and senator-elect, Orji Uzor Kalu, who is contesting the Deputy Senate President, Senator Kabir Gaya, who is also contesting the Deputy Senate President and Hon. Umar Bago, who is contesting for Speaker, House of Representatives.
Others who had indicated interest to contest one position or the other at the meeting stepped down for the preferred candidates of the party.
Among them were Senator Ajayi Boroffice, who had indicated interest to contest the Deputy Senate President and Hon. Nkiruka Onyejiocha, who had indicated interest to contest for Speaker, House of Representatives.
At the meeting the party reiterated its decision to endorse Ovie Omo-Agege and Ahmed Idris Wase for the deputy senate president and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives seats.
Though they kept details of the parley to their chest, it was gathered that they deliberated on how to avert a repeat of the 2015 scenario where the former senate president and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara pulled the rug off the feet of the party by clinching the seats ahead of Lawan and Gbajabiamila.
Addressing newsmen after the closed- door meeting and confirming that it was aimed at drumming support for the preferred choice of the party for the leadership of the National Assembly, Oshiomhole said the call on Senator Ndume who was conspicuously absent at the parley to take a cue from Senator Danjuma Goje by stepping down for Lawan in the interest of the party.
“Well, for now, we are still trying to talk to Ali Ndume. I believe that he is a Democrat. He understands that in a democracy, it is important that he listens to the voice of the majority and accept the decisions of the majority. I mean it is all about sacrifice.
“Like I said, I do not know of anybody who has been elected who is not qualified to become the Senate President, and all senators are equal. For those who have stepped down, they have done that in recognition of the fact that at a particular point in time, only one person will emerge and I believe that my dear friend Senator Ali Ndume will not be a lone ranger.
“He will abide by the spirit of the party and he will respect our overall leader who is the president of our country, who is also the leader of our party. I do not have any fear; I believe Ndume will accept the will of the majority.
“All those that have stepped down as a mark of respect for the party leadership are all qualified and they are all unanimous to back the candidates of the party. It (meeting) is basically to firm up all the conversations and lobbying that have gone on and we have already had a meeting with specific conclusions.
“We have all agreed as a caucus to endorse distinguished Senator Ahmed Lawan as APC candidate for the presidency of the Senate and distinguished Senator Omo-Agege for the deputy presidency of the senate,” he said.