Senate Presidency: How Tinubu Persuaded Umahi To Step Down For Akpabio

Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi says the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu played a strategic role in his stepping down for the former Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, in the race for the 10th senate presidency.

He disclosed this at the newly constructed Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Onueke, Umahi. Addressing newsmen Umahi said, “The leader of the party who is the president-elect called me and I feel it is an honour to have called me and I consulted with him while he was in Paris and he said we were going to talk about it.”

He further said, “When he came back he called me and we had a meeting and  he said ‘Please I have committed myself and it is his right to do that,’ this is the president-elect, 29th May, he is going to be the president of the country so if he had made promises of course when you are running for such office you must make promises  So I won’t be a clog in the wheel of his progress, so I had to accept.”

Earlier, the National Working Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ratified the zoning formula proposed by Tinubu with Akpabio’s favourite for the senate’s top job. Reports say some party members rejected the candidacy of the former Akwa Ibom State governor despite the supposed consensus.

Politics is all about dialogue- Umahi

Speaking further, the Ebonyi State governor said, “So, I also accepted for the interest of the South-East let it not look as if we are in opposition, we just oppose everything. Politics is all about dialogue, it is about give and takes and if we surrendered now or I said No, what will have happened?

Also, Umahi said, “So, I had to in the interest of the South East, so since we didn’t get that one I am sure by God’s special  grace the efforts some of us made in marketing APC in the South East, we are going to get some other things that are tangible.”