By Olukayode Michael, Maiduguri
A group of concerned Borno stakeholders on Friday rallied support for Sen. Ali Ndume and asked that the news making the rounds on social media that has withdrawn from the race to become the Senate President should be discounted as it is untrue.
The group said the rumour trending on the social media suggesting that Senators Ali Ndume and Danjuma Goje have both withdrawn from the senate presidency race following a purported meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari was a lie.
The report given prominence on some social media platforms had generated serious reactions especially in Borno state where one of the top contenders for the Senate seat, Mr Ndume hails from.
Reacting to the report, some group of concerned Borno citizens led by a top civil servant and prominent indigene of the state, Samaila Ville, told journalists in Maiduguri that the news being spread on the social media “was mischievous and fake.”
He said they were “surprised to see the post on social media that our son, Senator Ndume had withdrawn from the senate race after himself and the former governor of Gombe state, Danjuma Goje, had met with the president.
“Though we did not believe the news, but we still had to check with Senator Ndume who had just left for Abuja to ascertain the veracity of such wicked rumor. And his respond was in the negative that he had never, not even for once, contemplated backing out of the senate race.
“We know that the rumour was fake; and we want to categorically tell it to the world, that the race for the presidency of the 9th senate is not all about Senator Ndume; but a collective decision. It all started locally from here; we are the ones that asked him to run after we had massively voted for him for the third time as senator representing Borno South.
“Even if he is to withdraw, which is not likely, it has to be with the full consent of the stakeholders in Borno state first. And as at the last time we met with Senator Ndume which was some hours ago, the issue of backing out was never discussed. Besides how can a man that just left Maiduguri late Friday afternoon be said to have met with the President on the same day.”
They added that: “All we want is a level playing ground for all candidates to exercise their rights and freewill in seeking the Senate President seat. Senator Ndume has never asked for too much by insisting that the seat should be made open to all; and even if it is going to be zoned to the northeast, let the aspirants who are all equal in their respective rights go and slug it out. And we the people of Borno stand by him on that.
“We are also happy to hear the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomole, saying on Channels TV Hard Copy program that he cannot appoint or impose anyone on the Senate. Let him stick to that and allow democracy to prevail in the election of who becomes the next Senate President.