BY OBUTE JAMES
The former Nigerian Senate Leader and Senate Presidential aspirant,Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume has reaffirmed his decision to contest for the seat of the Senate President adding that nothing in the All Progressive Congress’ constitution that will hinder him from participating in the race.
Ndume who was one time a Minority Leader of the House of Representatives maintained that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is very clear when it comes to the election of principal officers of the National Assembly.
Speaking during the press conference in National Assembly today, May 8, 2019, Ndume said President Muhammadu Buhari and even the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshomhole are emerged through democratic process of election and not through imposition.
According to Ndume, the 109 Senators who are to inaugurated next month are leaders who know who is capable to preside over the Senate for the next four years.
“I’m not saying that I’m the best candidate for the job. In fact, they are some of my colleagues that were born with silver spoon and I was not born with silver spoon,” Ndume said.
According to him, the leadership of the ruling party decided to zone the position of the Senate President to the North East because of the terrible condition of the zone which Borno State is the epicentre.
“As I talk to you now, there is no secondary school in my local government area, Gwoza. There were about ten secondary schools in Gwoza and no one is existing again.
“The communication in the area is difficult as the communication installations were destroyed by activities of Boko Haram. I cannot even drive freely in the area now.”
Ndume said the idea behind the zoning of Senate Presidency seat to his geo-political zone is to enable somebody who is fully aware of the problems in the zone to emerge as Senate President which will make the rebuilding of the zone possible.
He said it will take over N7 trillion to rebuild what Boko Haram has destroyed in Borno and other places in the zone.
He maintained that apart from him, no other aspirant has revealed what he intends to do after emerging as Senate President of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Ali Ndume has called for addition of more coaches to the existing ones to boost rail transport from Abuja to Kaduna.
In the motion which he presented in the floor of the Senate, on Wednesday, Ndume asked for the reduction of price of ticket from N1500 to N600 to enable those who travel by train because of the activities of Kidnappers along Abuja-Kaduna to do so without unnecessary delay and difficulty.
He said while there is need to intensify action on the rising insecurity along Abuja-Kaduna Highway, it is absolutely wrong for passengers to queue in the railway station for two hours and to stand inside the train for two more hours.