I’ll prefer “rest” at the National Assembly – Umahi

▪︎Insists South-East no longer for opposition politics

After eight years of hard work as Ebonyi State Chief Executive, Governor David Umahi has said “rest” will be his preferred option while serving as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Against the backdrop of his decision to back down from the Senate Presidency contest, Governor Umahi said; “I will prefer to be in the Senate to rest. I will, however, have no choice if it is the sacrifice to make in the interest of the party, the South-East, and to help the president-elect.”

According to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator-elect, the “rest” option will be more accommodating for him than taking up a ministerial position in the incoming Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidency.

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This is as he also insisted that the South East geo-political zone could no longer afford the luxury of continuing in the opposition, especially given his fruitful engagement with the president-elect.

“We cannot continue opposing everything as politics is; all about dialogue, give and take. What could have happened if I said no and; considering our efforts to promote the APC in the zone, we will get a tangible position,” the governor said.

He told newsmen at the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Onueke, Ebonyi State that excusing himself from the Senate presidential race was in the interest of commitment the “President-elect”, Bola Tinubu, had made to Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Disclosing that Asiwaju Tinubu formally engaged him on the 10th Senate’s presidency contest, Governor Umahi said acceding to his request was in the interest of APC and the South-East region, adding; “I discussed the issue with him when he was; in Paris, and on return to the country, he invited me.

“It was an honour to be invited by the president-elect, and he told me that he had made commitments. It is his right as the president-elect to make commitments, and anyone running for such an office makes promises. I did not want to be a clog in the wheel of his progress, so I accepted.”

To further demonstrate his deference to the President-elect’s position, the outgoing governor said; “I am the Chairman of the Akpabio campaign council, and; I can tell you that we have more APC senators on our side.

“I will accept whatever God wills for me, but as a person, I will prefer to be in the Senate to rest. I will, however, have no choice if it is the sacrifice to make in the interest of the party, South-East, and to help the president-elect.”

On speculations that Senators-elect from South East zone had adopted Senator Orji Uzor Kalu for the Senate Presidency, Umahi said no such endorsement ever took place, insisting that the zone is tired of playing opposition politics going forward. (Adapted from Forefront Magazine)