As the race for who becomes the new President of the Senate begins ahead of the June, 2023 inauguration of the new National Assembly, the State Working Committee, SWC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ebonyi State, Friday stated that Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State and Senator-elect for Ebonyi South Senatorial zone was suitably qualified to occupy the position of the Senate President.
The Committee, in a open letter titled “THE QUEST FOR A NEW PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN SENATE” to the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC SWC added that the incoming Senator has the most broad-based and acceptable credentials to lead the red chambers in a democratic setting.
According to the letter: “The incoming Senator Umahi is a highly detribalized Nigerian of Ebonyi State extract. He had proven this and has continued to prove this in his relationships with other states, tribes, ethnic, regional and religious groupings across the country. The records are there.
“Incoming Senator Umahi is a highly patriotic Nigerian who believes without reservations in a united country of equal opportunities for all. It is for this reason that he ranks as the only South East governor to openly and courageously condemn secessionists agitations in the South East and reaffirm the commitment of the South East to a united Nigeria and prosperous Nigeria where every tribe and religion are mutually accommodated.
“As Chairman of South East Governors’ Forum, he is perceived in the entire Igbo nation as a unifier even beyond the shores of the South East Geopolitical Zone and as one who tenaciously holds as sacrosanct the slogan of one indivisible and indissoluble Nigeria.
“Incoming Senator Umahi proves himself everywhere as a peace maker and a life-wire. As one who brokers peace among individuals and groups, he as President of the Senate will help the incoming president to broker peace among aggrieved persons in the country and bring them to support the new administration and drive federal government policies to actualization without bottlenecks.
“With incoming Senator Umahi as the new President of the Nigerian Senate, our incoming president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu can be sure of quick passage of bills in the red chambers and accelerated Senate ratifications of requests of the presidency for smooth and effective administration of the country unlike the past when bills and presidential requests suffered bureaucratic stagnation and delays in Parliament and adversely affected the discharge of governmental duties to the people.
“It is on record that Governor Umahi who is now an incoming Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the best Governor in Nigeria in terms of performance indices. There are also several awards that attest to this. The most recent is that of Silverbird Nigeria. A governor with such unprecedented performance pedigree is most suited as the next President of the Nigerian Senate and Governor Umahi is most qualified.
“Your Excellency, these are just few of the many credentials that make Governor Umahi most suitable for the position of next President of the Nigerian Senate. We therefore implore Your Excellency, our indefatigable president-elect to kindly consider our passionate appeal most favourably, particularly as Governor Umahi remains the only incoming Senator that will ensure massive support of the National Assembly for the policies of the Federal Government and their implementations under his watch.”