At a special valedictory session to mark the exit of three members of the Senate on Wednesday, the newly elected All Progressive Congress chairman, senator Abdullahi Adamu offered the Senate Minority leader Enyinnaya Abaribe APC Governorship ticket for Abia State if he will join the party.
The valedictory session was in honour of new Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the Deputy National Chairman (North), Abubakar Kyari, and Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Hassan Muhammad Nasiha.
The APC chairman in his brief remark had capitalised on the hiccup in the Governorship ambition of the minority leader to woo him to the APC fold.
Abaribe, who is eying the Governorship ticket for the PDP in Abia State had been caught in the web of a zoning fomular which favors Abia Central and Abia North senatorial districts since his Abia south had taken its turn in producing the Governor.
Continuing Adamu said, “Some of you are the best materials that this country can have but you are in the wrong camp.
“I was a founding member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998, I took the flag of PDP to Nasarawa State. I served as a Governor on the platform of PDP, I served as secretary to the board of Trustees of PDP.
“They said it as if to remind me as a person who put in abundant service, nobody has asked me why did you break the bondage between you and PDP.
“It is in my heart of hearts those of you who are willing to reach out to the higher pedestal of life, our hands are opened and we are stretching the hands to you.
“I assure you amongst you there is the best Governor Abia State ever had, amongst you there is a good Governor to be that is being denied, come over we are very humane, very fare, we play according to the rules of the game.
“So I assure you that I will continue to cherish our relationship. I hope and pray that you will see the light and come over to the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Earlier Abaribe thanked the party APC for making the choice of their chairman of someone that the PDP has groomed and also the firmer Secretary of the BoT of the PDP.
“So we are happy. He came here as a PDP Senator and now taking over the APC to do the great job that Nigeria has thrust on his shoulders. “The bridge builder, we are very happy that you have also gone to show them how democracy works. “We also want to thank our dear colleague the deputy National chairman (North) of the APC. You have not finished your work here but we are going to donate you to still go and do your job.
“Finally, my great friend Hassan, who came as a PDP, left again and now came back and to go back again – PDP, APC, PDP again, APC again – I dare say Hassan, wherever you are remember your home.”
Senators Ndume, Manager beg Adamu for return tickets for senators
Senators James Manager representing Delta South and Ali Ndume represent Borno North have begged the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress Abdullahi Adamu to protect colleagues by ensuring they get return tickets
This came as the senate organised valedictory session in honour of new Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the Deputy National Chairman (North), Abubakar Kyari, and Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Hassan Muhammad Nasiha.
The appeal came against the backdrop that many of the senators who fell out with their Governors may not get the return ticket.
Senator James Manager having the plight of his colleagues on his mind said
“The first test for you will be, to protect those who are here, not me, because we are not in the same political party.
“Everyone is in danger in one way or the other. Yesterday (Tuesday), this place was very scanty because everyone is in danger.
“So, I will urge you, particularly the national chairman of APC, as you go there, please protect those who are in danger. You know how it is done. “Those of us on this side will be watching with keen interest. We know who you are, we know what you can do. Try your best for all of us.”
Senator representing Borno South Ali Ndume also spoke in the same vein saying,
“Now that we have people from here as leaders of the party, you have the responsibility. It is not about us, it is about the Senate. It is not about Ndume being a Senator from Southern Borno but protecting the position of the Senate or the representation from the southern Borno having someone that served from two, three or four terms.
“You know that the rate of turnover is very worrisome. It is not because the legislators are not performing, we need you the chairman to protect the institution and this institution is made up of individuals with wealth of experience. Nigerians are expecting a lot from the institution.”
A frontline aspirant for the National Chairmanship position, Senator Sani Musa (Niger East), said the emergence of Senator Adamu as APC National Chairman was the best decision made by the All Progressives Congress.
“We will stand by him, work with him and do all the foot soldiering to see that he succeeds”, he said.
Senator Albert Bassey Akpan (Akwa-Ibom North East) said, “Senator Adamu is a man you can trust any day. I am confident that APC which we thought was almost gone has got it right.
“I am confident that Baba Adamu will do the right thing. We will miss him.”
Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi West), said, “Senator Adamu is a political textbook of contemporary Nigeria.
“He is patriotic and God fearing. Each time he speaks here, he speaks from the position of the law.
“I served in his Committee on Agriculture. You’ll know he is a believer in the rule of law. He is a no-nonsense man.
“Your (Adamu’s) emergence is a pointer that more people from the other side, from the body language, are willing to come back.
“He is a good man with a large heart who is a team player.”
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, in his contribution,
described the emergence of four members (serving and former) of the National Assembly as party executives of the APC was a remarkable development in the political evolution and history of Nigeria.
“That the National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman (North), National Secretary and National Auditor are all people who are either completing their service in the Senate or were here before.
“What this goes to show is that the legislature is coming of age, that the legislature is now contributing to the political development and stability of our country, and we shouldn’t take this for granted.
“Even though the legislature has been the most disadvantaged arm of government out of the three, but I think it is rapidly developing”, Lawan said.