Senate Presidency: I'm interested in votes, not endorsement, says Ndume

Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south district, says he is not bothered about the endorsement of his opponent in the race for senate presidency.

Reacting to reports on the endorsement of Ahmad Lawan by over 60 senators-elect, Ndume said what counts in the race is votes, not endorsements.

Lawan had also been endorsed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Well, I’ve said before that I am not looking for endorsement but looking for votes on election day. You know clearly that there is a difference between endorsement and election,” Ndume told reporters.

Making reference to 2015 when Lawan, who was also APC consensus candidate at the time, lost the senate presidency to Bukola Saraki, Ndume said: “He (Lawan) had the endorsement but what happened on the floor of the senate was different. This kind of thing has been there all along.

“We have seen endorsements against several elections. We are there already and it shall become past in a question of hours from now.

“I believe that my colleagues shall vote according to their conscience and they shall vote for a candidate that is more suitable for the position of the senate president. I am not bothered about endorsement rather, I am more worried about the election.

“As I’ve said, I shall go into the election on Tuesday and it shall have two sides; it is either one loses or wins. I do my numbering too, but I do my numbering not by publishing my colleagues’ names.”