I was not under pressure to endorse Lawan for Senate president – Goje

The chairman, Senate committee on appropriations in the eight Senate, Danjuma Goje from Gombe state has endorsed the Senate leader, Ahmed Lawan from Yobe state for the Senate Presidency.

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state disclosed to State House Press Corps, shortly after both of them met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Goje said he is respecting the wish of the President and the party.

“First, I want to use this opportunity to thank Allah for giving us this opportunity today. I want to thank my teeming supporters, associates across the country, who have been calling me to declare for the senate presidency, I have listened to them and I thank them very well. 

I want to say that hat as an elder statesman in the senate for a long time. At my age, I should be able to appreciate leadership coming from our elders. So in spite of all these calls, in spite all the support I have among my colleagues in the senate, I have decided to in deference to the loyalty I have for his excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari and in deference to the loyalty I have for my party, the APC in the interest of our party and the development of this country, in other to assist Mr. President to deliver his promises, I have decided to respect his wish by not declaring to contest this senate presidency. Instead, I am supporting the party’s position thereby endorsing the candidature of Senator Ahmed Lawan.”

Asked if Nigerians will not see the position of the party as an imposition as the National Assembly is seen as an independent arm of government, Goje said: “I don’t think is an imposition, I am not compelled to step down, I just told you that at my age I have the capacity to think well and respect my elders and respect my party. And in party politics…I am independent. I have been winning my elections many many times from local government to House of Assembly, to National Assembly to governorship and I was also a minister. To say that I have been threatened to support somebody, no! I am supporting him based on my own conviction that I am doing the right thing for our  country, for our president.”

El-Rufai was in company of Senators Lawan, Goje, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, and Senator-elect for Kaduna, Uba Sani while briefing on the endorsement ahead of the June 11th election.