Former senate leader, Mr. Ali Ndume has intensified president of the ninth senate which comes on stream on June 12.
Speaking on Monday after a meeting with the vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Ndume denied reports that he had stepped down for Mr. Ahmed Lawan, anointed candidate of the all Progressives Congress (APC), Ndume said: “Me, step down? I am still consulting.”
He also disclaimed the report that he had entered an alliance with the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to realize his ambition.
Ndume he had been considered as an “enemy” by the opposition.
He said: “Me that is regarded as enemy by opposition?”
It would be recalled that Ndume had once been a member of the PDP, but he later defected to the APC ahead of the 2015 polls.
Asked why he was t the State House, he said “VP is my oga. I come to see him.”
Meanwhile, Ndume’s camp said no intimidation from any quarter can force the senate presidency aspirant to abandon his ambition.
They said he received the blessings of APC leaders in his senatorial district and the two other senatorial districts in Borno.
ThisDay quotes a member of the camp as saying: “Don’t forget that he was the first aspirant to write the APC leadership of his intention to vie for the position of Senate president.”
It was also learnt despite Ndume claim that he was relying solely on APC senators for support, a source who pleaded anonymity said he had stepped up his consultations with all the important stakeholders, including senators-elect across party lines and members of APC national working committee on the need for them to support him.
Ndume’s close associates also said no amount of threat from any quarters will stop him from realising his ambition “as he is presently looking up to God in his pursuant of what is right.”
The pro-Ndume group also expressed concern that the adoption of a particular candidate for senate president does not have the blessing of all the NWC members and President Muhammadu Buhari.
A ranking APC senator who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “I can say authoritatively that the reported adoption of a particular candidate is the agenda of APC national chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, and national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, while the president and some members of the NWC are not on the same page with the duo on this matter.
“So, what are we saying? They are routing for the candidate because they know he’ll be a stooge and an establishment person while Ndume will be independent minded and not be a rubber stamp of the executive. Just let’s just wait and see as events unfold between now and June when the 9th National Assembly will be inaugurated,” he said.
