Immediate past Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume has announced his intention to run for the office of the President of the Senate of the Ninth National Assembly, even as he is seeking the blessing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest for the position.

Ndume said he is throwing his hat into the ring, believing that the position would be zoned to the North East geo-political zone where he hails from.

In a letter of intent dated March 25, 2019 and addressed to the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, the former Senate Leader said the decision to seek election into the exalted office was borne out of his desire to help accelerate socio-economic development of the nation.

“Following the successful conduct of the 2019 general election and the overwhelming victory of our great party the APC at all levels, I hereby forward my letter of intent to contest for the office of the President of the Senate in the 9th National Assembly.

“I wish to emphasize that my decision to contest for the Senate Presidency is informed by my conviction to contribute my quota to nation building,” the letter stated.

The ranking lawmaker who served as Minority Leader in the Sixth House of Representatives and Majority Leader in the Eighth Senate assured of his capacity to deliver on party policies and programmes, saying, “my vast legislative experience and my deep desire to take Nigeria to the next level of development” are reasons for contesting.

He expressed optimism that the Party leadership would zone the Senate Presidency seat to the North-East geopolitical zone where he hails from.

According to him, this is the time to reward the zone with the position, having given President Muhammadu Buhari the second highest votes cast in the last presidential election.

He said the position would enable him to also fulfill the aspirations of the insurgency-ravaged people of the North East whose respite came with the coming of APC government in 2015.

Other frontrunners for the top job are: Ahmed Lawan (APC, Yobe), Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe) and Abdullahi Adamu (APC, Nasarawa).

•Sourced from a Businessday report

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