TheCable

Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south district, says 70 senators-elect have thrown their weight behind Godswill Akpabio in his bid to become the president of the 10th senate.

Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, and Barau Jibrin, senator representing Kano central, were recommended by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the leadership of the senate.

Speaking on Tuesday in an interview with Arise Television, Ndume said he is supporting Akpabio because he has the experience needed for the position and also for the sake of stability in the country.

“He (Akpabio) was a minority leader. He knows what to do from Day 1. And then he needs the acceptability of the senators-elect who are going to vote on that day,” Ndume said.

“And so far, Alhamdulillah! We have 70 people that have signed or endorsed the candidature of Akpabio. First on the list is myself and the last on the list is from Bayelsa.

“I’m the one leading the campaign for Akpabio. It is based on the need to have stability, equity, justice and fairness in the country considering the heightened concerns on some issues especially the zoning, the religion and whatever.

“The stability group which I lead is not about money but about stability in the country by ensuring there is justice, fairness and equity in terms of who now leads and becomes the number 3 citizen, bearing in mind that the number one and two are all Muslims and also bearing in mind also that the south-south where Akpabio comes from has never since 1999 had a shot of the senate presidency or speakership.

“Having Akpabio, with the experience that he has being one time the minority leader in the senate, and one time minister, governor, commissioner.

“With that kind of experience and the fact that I think that he is the most ranking from south-south from the senators we have, especially of the APC faction, I had no problem with my conscience, throwing my weight behind him.”