Senator, Danjuma Goje, on Thursday withdrew from the race to become the next Senate president following a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Senator who represents Gombe central constituency told newsmen after the meeting he took the decision out of respect for President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Goje said, “First, I want to use this opportunity to thank Allah for giving us this opportunity today. I want to thank my teeming supporters, associates across the country, who have been calling me to declare for the senate presidency, I have listened to them and I thank them very well.
“I want to say that as an elder statesman in the senate for a long time. At my age, I should be able to appreciate leadership coming from our elders. So in spite of all these calls, in spite of all the support I have among my colleagues in the senate, I have decided to in deference to the loyalty I have for his excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari and in deference to the loyalty I have for my party, the APC in the interest of our party and the development of this country, in other to assist Mr. President to deliver his promises, I have decided to respect his wish by not declaring to contest this senate presidency.
“Instead, I am supporting the party’s position thereby endorsing the candidature of Senator Ahmad Lawan.”
On whether he was compelled to step down, he said, “I don’t think is an imposition, I am not compelled to step down, I just told you that my age I have the capacity to think well and respect my elders and respect my party.
“I am independent. I have been winning my elections many many times from local government to house of assembly, to national assembly to governorship and I was also a minister. To say that I have been threatened to support somebody, no!”
It will be recalled that the APC leadership had earlier endorsed Ahmad Lawan, the Senator from Yobe sate but that was not enough to deter Senators Ali Ndume and Danjume Goje from joining the race.
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