No fewer than 35 out of the 59 APC Senators-elect current attending a retreat organized by the party’s leadership at Ibeto Hotel, Abuja have adopted former governor of Kwara state, Senator Bukola Saraki as the party’s sole candidate for the position of Senate President in 8th Senate due to be inaugurated June 4.
A statement issued by the Senators-elect under the umbrella of ‘Like Minds Senators’ and signed by their spokesman, Senator-elect Dino Melaye also said that they will support the emergence of a Deputy Senate President from the North East. While Senator Ali Ndume (APC Borno) is hoping to emerge the DSP from the zone, Senator Ahmad Lawan from Yobe is battling to take the seat from Saraki.
Part of the statement reads “Senators of the like mind are here today at the retreat organized by our dear Party All Progressive Congress, which is meant to equip and empower Senators-Elect of the 8th Assembly to prepare them toward the challenges ahead. We commend the leadership of our party for this timely and well-focused exercise.
“The issue of National Assembly leadership is about integrity, competence, discipline and leadership skills and not about fixing of candidates just for mere horse-trading. Our stand is about electing a senator who eventually becomes the chairman of National Assembly and relates with the executive on behalf of Nigerians, fellow Senators and the National Assembly as an institution.
“Furthermore leadership of National Assembly, is about the Senator that has the wherewithal to stabilize the legislative institution, working with the executive and judicial arm of government to be effective and perform to their optimal capacity.
“In addition, we are aware of the fact that ALL Senators from the North Central zone has taken a firm position that they are only interested in the office of the Senate President which has been earlier zoned by the National Working Committee of our party and we are also aware that North Central Senators have resolved to abide by the resolution of the zone on a single candidate and anything short of this is an attempt to jeopardize the collective interest of the zone.
“Of the 59 Senators of the APC, 35 of us present here today hereby reaffirm our collective commitment and resolution to ensure that the candidature of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki as the Senate President of 8th Assembly. We also resolved that the office of the Deputy Senate President be zoned to the North East.”
