Senate Presidency: Akume Lobbies Tinubu, Atiku, Obasanjo And Kwankwaso (Read More)

As the race for the senate presidency gets intense in the political sphere, one of the leading candidates for the revered position, Senator George Akume, has employed lobbying tactics to get to the exalted position.

Akume who is the current Minority Leader of the Senate, this last weekend, visited some top politicians of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the country and former president, Olusegun Obasanjo to seek their support in his quest to lead the Senate in the 8th National Assembly.

A source close to Akume, who is the former governor of Benue State, described his nationwide consultations as  ‘strategic cross-country diplomatic shuttle.’

Akume met respected political leaders in the South-West this past weekend which include former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu and former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola. He met the leaders in their respective country homes respectively.

Daily Sun  reports that the interactions in the meetings are not unconnected with Akume’s mission to succeed his kinsman, incumbent Senate President, David Mark. Akume also met with former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, who may likely emerge as Chairman of the APC Board of Trustees.

Akume has also met with Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Professor Ango Abdullahi, Vice-Chancellor Emeritus of the Ahmadu Bello University, former Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Coomasie and former Kogi State Governor, Abubakar Audu.One of Akume’s associates tried to water down the visits saying ”Senator Akume is a very highly regarded statesman in his own right. Consultations with like-minded leaders on issues bothering on our socio-politics should be a routine affair.

‘”If the APC is truly about change, that change should reflect in the way we do things, so we send a very strong message to all Nigerians that they can be assured of a sense of belonging irrespective of where they come from. We have produced a President-Elect from a majority ethnicity, we have produced a Vice-President-Elect from another majority ethnic group, APC must be sensitive to the sensitivities of the minorities, across both divides of the Niger”.

Meanwhile,the race for the Senate presidency in the incoming 8th National Assembly has taken a new turn as a female senator has declared her interest in occupying the office.