The Senator representing Delta West Senatorial District, Ovie Omo-Agege, has spoken on the his take on the race for the position of the president of the 9th Senate after the exit of the current senator president to fail his re-election bid to the senate.
The current Senate President, Bukola Saraki, after losing his re-election bid to the senate left the seat of the Senate President vacant which had led to speculations on who is likely to be the Senate President in the 9th Senate.
When Senator Omo-Agege was asked by journalist to confirm the rumours flying around town that he will be running for the position of the Senate President in the 9th Senate, his response was preceded by a loud laughter which lasted for about 30 seconds. Then he answered and said, “Senators cannot declare their interest now, since the All Progressive Congress (APC) was yet to take a position on which zone would take what office in the Senate. He added by saying that “As for me, until that decision of zoning is made by the party, I do not want to formally engage.”
When he was asked whether he will be contesting if the position of the Senate President is zoned to the South-South, the responded flatly by saying, “We will cross that bridge when we get there.”
He further added by saying, “Let me tell you this, every ranking senator has an interest in serving in the leadership of the Senate. And every ranking senator is qualified to run for any office in the Senate. But when we get there, when the party has taken a position, then we will decide what to do.”
The jostling for the position of the Senate President after election results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revealed that the APC has majority of the newly elected senators.
The rumours linking Omo-Agege to the position of the Senate President may not be far from the fact that he is an ardent supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, and has had notable clashes in the past with the current (outgoing) Senate President Bukola Saraki in his support for the president. His support for President Muhammadu Buhari lead to his suspension from the Senate in April last year for describing the Senate’s decision to amend the Electoral Act as a plot against President Muhammadu Buhari and was also accused of stealing the Mace of the Senate to stall proceedings against the President Muhammadu Buhari; accusations which vehemently denied.
