Outgoing Ebonyi State governor Dave Umahi joins the race to become senate president

OUTGOING Ebonyi State governor and the new senator-elect for Ebonyi South Senatorial District Senator Dave Umahi has joined the race to become Nigeria's next senate president when the new National Assembly resumes in May.

With Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from the southwest elected as president and Senator Kashim Shettima from the northeast elected as vice president, the race for the senate president is open to candidates from all of the other four geo-political zones. Ranking senators from the northwest, south-south, southeast and north central geo-political zones are already positioning themselves for the coveted position, three months before elections are due.

Among those thought likely to throw their hats into the ring for the senate presidency are Senator Jubrin Barau of the Kano North Senatorial District, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia North Senatorial District and Senator Godswill Akpabio of the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District. All three of them are raking senators but who gets elected will like be determined by which zones the office gets given.

However, Governor Umahi has officially thrown his hat into the ruing too, with his spokesman Francis Nwaze announcing the candidacy of his principal on Facebook. He wrote: “Governor David Umahi indicates an interest in contesting for the president of the senate of the 10th Senate.”

There are indications that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may zone the position of the 10th senate president to the southeast geo-political zone. Also, the party is likely to pick a Christian senator for the position, given that the president-elect and his vice are both Muslims.

Yesterday,  Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the chief whip of the senate, warned that since Nigeria is a secular state, it would not be right for persons of the same religious faith to occupy the first three highest political offices in the country. He stated that it was his turn to become the president of the senate, noting that he is the most senior ranking senator of the APC from the southeast.

If the position is zoned to the southeast, the likely candidates will include Senators Uzor Kalu, Umahi and Osita Izunaso, representing Imo West Senatorial District. Returning after a 12 year absence, Senator Izunaso, is technically, the most senior of the trio, having first been elected for a four year stint between 2007 and 20l1.

Meanwhile, Governor  Umahi has also urged the presidential candidates of Labour Party and Peoples Democratic Party, respectively Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar to accept defeat and withdraw their election petitions from the courts. He urged them to put forward the interest and unity of Nigeria and allow the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, to take over governance from President Muhammadu Buhari and move the nation forward.

He added: “Let me also plead and request the leadership of APC and the president and vice president-elect to please for the sake of equity, justice  and fairness, zone the senate presidency to southeast and the speaker for the House of Representatives to the north west. This is for inclusiveness and this will assure Nigerians that we are on the path for a total reunion."