*’Every senator, political party shall be carried along’
By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja
Governor of Imo State and Chairman of Progressives Governors’ Forum of the ruling All progressives Congress (APC), Senator Hope Uziria has expressed confidence that the party’s choice Godswill Akpabio will prevail and emerge the next president of the 10th Senate in the National Assembly.
Governor Uzodinma, expressed the party’s confidence during a chat with State House Correspondents at the end of a meeting with President Bola Tinubu after the Democracy Day celebration on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Uzodinma said, the committee set up by Tinubu to resolve the controversy over the forthcoming leadership race has achieved substantial progress in collaboration with the outgoing Senate President, Ahmed Lawan.
According to him, Akpabio is going there to create a win-win situation for members of the parliament. He he is not going there to be a dictator.
Governor Uzodinma describes the former governor and ex minority leader of the Senate as one who will work with his colleagues in synergy, collectively reason, plan, and deliver the dividends of democracy to the Nigerian people.
He said the Senate presidency election “is about Nigeria and not about the individuals. And he is a man too that has the track record of performance.”
Asked if the election on Tuesday is going to be a walkover having ganrnerd about 90 percent support, he said, “Substantially for a substitute consensus and by the number of people and by the efforts we have put in place, it is our hope that tomorrow it might even be a consensus event.
“But to the glory of God we pray for that and at the same time, hoping that should we go into an election, Akpabio’s acceptance as at today cuts across the political party we belong, other political parties there are also some same minds who are interested in the development and progress of Nigeria; who also understands the need to safeguard democracy as being practiced in Nigeria today, and they are in sync with our preferred candidate.
“We have done so much work to the extent that God has blessed our efforts that majority of the senators-elect are now in sync with the position of the party.
“After the event in which you all witnessed, we had a closed session with President because what is at stake is national interest, the interest of our country and how to ensure that the new president is supporter to succeed.
“All over africa, Nigeria is being looked upon that this time around we should produce a very strong president who will be bold and courageous in character. Who will be able to deliver Nigeria to our usual space of bein the leader of the continent.
“We don’t want to allow for any domestic distraction to distract him from succeeding. We are going to pledge our support, work in synergy with our senators elect to ensure that the election of tomorrow (Tuesday) will be free and fair.”
He assured that Lawan will work for the emergence of the preferred candidates of the party.
Speaking also, the preferred senate Presidential candidate, Akpabio assured of a united 10th Senate under his leadership with robust legislative debate to ensure that they meet the aspirations of Nigerians.
Akpabio assured that the 10th senate will hold public hearings before taking any decision in the interests of Nigerians, for the betterment of the country.
We will think Nigeria first, every senator irrespective of political party must come into the chambers as a senator of the federal republic of Nigeria.
So, we have a lot to do, we must assist the president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to put the right policies in place by putting the right legislations in place to make sure that business thrives and create employment opportunities for Nigerians.
He further assured that every senator is important everybody is important and all political party shall be carried along.
On how he intends to pacify those who are not on the same page with him, the Senate Presidential candidate said, “in the business of politics not everybody will be on the same page. But here, we have over 90 percent of people supporting the choice of the party and I believe that even those that are not on board, I assure them that I will carry them on board.
“I won’t say anything but I will say we leave it to God almighty. But I must thank the chairman of the progressive governors forum and the governor of Imo state and former governor of Kano State and all former governors in the APC and all the governors in PDP and other political parties and even all the political parties we have visited who have shown so much support in having one Nigerian National Assembly, one Nigerian senate and a senate that will work for the good people of Nigeria. That is my pledge and I assure you that it shall be uncommon,” he said
