Senate Presidency: Dave Umahi abandons Orji Kalu of Southeast, steps down for Akpabio

The Ebonyi State Governor and Senator-elect, Dave Umahi has jettisoned moves by stakeholders in Southeast to produce the next president of the Senate

Umahi who was elected on February 25 to represent the Ebonyi South senatorial district at the upper chamber of the 10th National Assembly, pitched his tent with the South-South geopolitical zone

The governor who was also in the Senate presidency race, told journalists yesterday that he has stepped down for the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio

According to him, the decision to step down for Akpobio followed his meeting with the president-elect, Bola Tinubu who advised him to hold onto his ambition

He said, "Yesterday, I saw the president-elect on his invitation and he told me that he is already committed that I should hold on

So I have stepped down for my brother Akpabio

He is my consensus candidate"

This is coming amid agitation in the Southeastern part of the country that the position of senate president should be zoned to the region

Prior to the reported endorsement of Akpabio by the All Progressives Congress, APC Governors, the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu from the Southeast was one of the leading aspirants

Prior to the reported endorsement of Akpabio by the All Progressives Congress, APC Governors, the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu from the Southeast was one of the leading aspirants