Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume representing Borno South Senatorial District has officially entered the race to be Senate President by unveiling a nine-point agenda.
Ndume will be pitching against fellow party man and favourite, Senator Ahmed Lawan who is backed by President Muhammadu Buhari and their party, the All Progressives Congress.
Ndume is expected to garner support from opposition senators while Lawan will be supported by senators from his party. As it is, APC has 62 senators-elect while the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have 37 senators-elect.
In his agenda, Ndume vowed to improve upon the performance of the 8th Senate.
He said he would make the office of the Senate President less attractive by reducing the unnecessary privileges attached to it.
Ndume, a former Senate majority leader pledged to uphold the independence of the legislature and expressed his willingness to “work harmoniously and inter-dependently with the executive without undermining the principle of separation of powers.”
He noted that he would prioritise and ensure the passage of the Constituency Development Bill to make “constituency projects more transparent, accountable, efficient and effective.”
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He said the Senate would agree on timelines for confirmation, passage of bills especially the annual budgets, which he said, would not exceed 90 days from the day of submission.
“We will make laws that will block leakages devise improved means of generating revenue, especially through the amendment and review of our tax laws which will help to reduce reliance on local and foreign loans to finance budget.
“We will run the 9th Senate transparently, through open accountability with full participation of all senators. For example, we will transfer the approving powers of the privileges of the senators like foreign travels, allowances to Senate services committee or a new committee to be known as “ways and means committee.”
He also said that his presidency would uphold the party’s principles and policies and that the Senate under him would make laws and review existing ones in tandem with the APC’s Next Level agenda for Nigeria.
