TheCable

Danjuma Goje, senator representing Gombe central, has withdrawn from the race to head the senate.

Speaking after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, Goje said he took the decision out of respect for President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The APC leadership as well as the president had endorsed Ahmad Lawan but that did not stop two of his colleagues from the north-east – Ali Ndume and Goje – from joining the race.

Lawan is from Yobe.

Addressing reporters after meeting with the president, Goje said: “First, I want to use this opportunity to thank Allah for giving us this opportunity today. I want to thank my teeming supporters, associates across the country, who have been calling me to declare for the senate presidency, I have listened to them and I thank them very well.

“I want to say that as an elder statesman in the senate for a long time. At my age, I should be able to appreciate leadership coming from our elders. So in spite of all these calls, in spite of all the support I have among my colleagues in the senate, I have decided to in deference to the loyalty I have for his excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari and in deference to the loyalty I have for my party, the APC in the interest of our party and the development of this country, in other to assist Mr. President to deliver his promises, I have decided to respect his wish by not declaring to contest this senate presidency.

“Instead, I am supporting the party’s position thereby endorsing the candidature of Senator Ahmad Lawan.”

Asked if the decision was an imposition, he said: “I don’t think is an imposition, I am not compelled to step down, I just told you that my age I have the capacity to think well and respect my elders and respect my party.

“I am independent. I have been winning my elections many many times from local government to house of assembly, to national assembly to governorship and I was also a minister. To say that I have been threatened to support somebody, no!”

Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, and Ita Enang, senior special assistant to the president on national assembly (senate), were with Goje when he addressed reporters.