Umahi seeks Buhari’s support for senate presidency bid
…says South East deserves position
Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has called for the Senate Presidency to be zoned to the southeast geo-political zone, saying it is the right thing to do for inclusiveness and unity of the country.
Speaking to journalists after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Umahi argued that the southeast deserves the number three position in the interest of creating a holistic nation.
“I think that every region clamoring for the presidency of the senate to be zoned to it is the right of such people… the south-east deserves the position and so far, nobody has been able to say this is the reason why the south-east should not be given that position and I am pleading for that.
“It is time for healing, inclusiveness as well as the time to move this country forward,” the governor said.
Umahi noted that the southeast made considerable contributions to Bola Tinubu’s victory as the president-elect and that allowing the region to produce the next Senate President would inspire buy-in from the opposition in the National Assembly.
He also pointed out his own experience in the public and private sectors as a businessman and two-term governor, saying that he has the necessary qualifications to lead the 10th Senate.
“If you check my pedigree, you’ll find out that I am a man who has handled his businesses from scratch to multi-billions. I was dealing with people. I was not dealing with sticks. That is experience. I have all the experience, humility, honesty and integrity,” he said.
Umahi disclosed that he had informed President Buhari of his intention to run for the Senate Presidency.
“I know the way we were regarded and we understand that we are stronger while we are together and we made vows to our people while we were campaigning for APC We assured them that we belong to an equitable and fair Nigeria. Now it has come to a point where that position we took should be put to practice and that is what we are begging for because the chain is as strong as the weakest link,” Umahi said.
