Boma Achenimie 
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has revealed that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu asked him to step down from the contest for the 10th Senate presidency for Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Governor Umahi disclosed this on Monday after he returned to the state from Abuja while fielding questions from the state correspondents.
Speaking at the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport in Onueke, the governor claimed that after talking with Tinubu about running for Senate, he decided to comply with his request for the sake of the South East region and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We talked about it when he was in Paris, and when he got back, he invited me.
“It was an honour to be invited by the president-elect 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 office makes promises.
“I did not want to be a clog in the wheel of his progress so I accepted,” he said.
The South-East, according to Umahi, could no longer remain in the opposition, thus his decision to withdraw from the contest was in its best interests.
“We cannot continue opposing everything as politics is all about dialogue, give and take.
“What could have happened if I said no and considering our efforts to promote the APC in the zone, we will get a tangible position,” he said.
The governor claimed he was unaware of any resolution by South-East senators endorsing Sen. Orji Kalu, a former governor of Abia, for the position.
“I am the chairman of the Akpabio campaign council and can tell you that we have more APC senators on our side,” he said.
He stated that he would never advocate for a position as a minister in the incoming administration, instead leaving the choice up to Tinubu and the party.
“I will accept whatever God wills for me but as a person, I will prefer to be in the Senate to rest.
“I will however, have no choice if it is the sacrifice to make in the interest of the party, South-East, and to help the president-elect,” he added.
