Senator representing Edo North, Francis Alimikhena, on Sunday, debunked the rumour making the rounds that he had pulled out of the race for the position of deputy Senate President of the 9th Assembly.
It was reported in some sections of the media early hours of Sunday, that the Deputy Chief Whip in the 8th Senate and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had stepped down for Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central), another contender from the APC.
But Alimikhena, while answering questions from journalists in Abuja Sunday evening, said, it was not true that he had withdrawn from the race as that would not happen.
“I am still in the race. I have not stepped down for anybody. How will I step down and who will I step down for? I am a ranking Senator, a Principal Officer in the 8th Senate, an experienced personality who has served in various Ad-hoc committees in the just concluded Senate .
“I want to assure my colleagues of purposeful leadership, I want them to support and vote for me as the Deputy Senate President as I promise to provide purposeful leadership. I have the humility, the experience and temperament that is required for the office. I have been a very loyal party member, my relationship also cuts across party divides”, the lawmaker said.
While calling on his teeming supporters and colleagues in the Senate to completely disregard the information that he had stepped down, Alimikhena described the rumour as “unimaginable, unthinkable and machinations of some very over zealous and too ambitious persons who will go extra mile to bring down others”.
He said his decision to contest for the position was with the blessings and permission of the entire people of his constituency which he was not willing to relinquish or betray for anything.
The lawmaker expressed confidence that he would emerge victorious as his colleagues were poised to voting for him at the chamber on Tuesday.
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