Senate Presidency: Tinubu told me to step down for Akpabio — Umahi reveals

David Umahi, the Governor of Ebonyi State has disclosed that he stepped down from the Senate President race at the request of the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This comes after the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) zoned the 10th Senate presidency which is likely to favor Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Governor Umahi made this known in an interview with journalists on Monday as he arrived at the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Onueke in Ebonyi.

Umahi explained that he discussed his senate presidency bid with Tinubu and had to accede to his request in the interest of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the South-East zone.

“I discussed the issue with the President-elect when he was in Paris and he invited me on his return to the country.

“It was an honour to be invited by Tinubu and he told me that he had made commitments. It is his right as the President-elect to make commitments and anyone running for such an office makes promises.

“So I accepted because I did not want to be a clog in the wheel of his progress.”

Speaking on his withdrawal, he said, “politics is all about dialogue, give and take, we cannot continue opposing everything.

“Considering our efforts to promote the All Progressives Congress, APC, the South-East zone will get a tangible position,” he said.