The main challenger of Senator Ali Ndume’s bid to represent Borno South District in the ninth National Assembly, Alhaji Kudla Satumari of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked him to forget his ambition to be Senate President.
Satumari, who failed in his efforts to dislodge Ndume from the Senate during the February 23 elections, stressed that the former Majority Leader of the Senate was not the right candidate for such a high leadership position.
He described him as a self- centred person who has contributed nothing to the development of his constituents.
Speaking with reporters in Abuja on Tuesday, Satumari also warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) not to nominate Ali Ndume as Senate President because he will reclaim his mandate at the Election Tribunal.
He alleged that his victory at the polling units was upturned between the polling stations and collation centre where the results were rewritten in favour of Ndume.
He said: “What people don’t know is that I have worked assiduously for him to become the senator in 2011.
“I was among those that worked hard to ensure that he won the election. I even named a primary school I built in area after him. The fight is not personal but we should not reinforce failure”.
On whether he will consider the option of an out- of- court settlement, he said: “Never. Out of court settlement is never an option.
“It is not about me but my people because the level of insecurity in my area has gotten to alarming stage. I doubt if we still have men to stand for the people.”
He went on: “Our problem is that nobody is bringing the issue to the centre stage. My over 80 year-old mother slept in the bush last week.
“It pains when the federal government claims Boko Haram has been degraded yet the kind of insecurity we are experiencing on daily basis before, during and after the general elections has never been so under Goodluck Jonathan.
“It was better under him because they can take control over a Local Government but the kind of hit- and- run we are having now and the seeming lack of concern or tangible effort made by the appropriate authority to curtail the attacks, make us to wonder if we are still part of this country.
“That is why I will never accept any out of court settlement. Let the court decide and confirm his victory.
“I will appeal and if the Appeal Court still gives it to him, I will accept and leave for God.
“My life has been threatened and there has been nothing that has not been done.
“There is nobody on this earth, including my mother, I cherish and respect so much that can prevail on me to step down for whatever consideration.
“I will never concede and even if lawyers refused to defend me, I will defend myself”.
