‘I’m the highest ranking’ — Kano lawmaker joins race for senate president

Jibrin Barau, senator representing Kano north, has declared his intention to run for the office of senate president.

Speaking with reporters in Abuja on Wednesday, Barau said he is the most qualified for the job by experience and ranking.

The legislator said competence must be prioritized over sentiments in the race for the office of senate president.

“I intend to seek to be the president of the 10th senate. In the next few days, I will start my campaign and make a formal declaration,” the senator, who was first elected into the upper legislative chamber, said.

“Legislature is a distinct arm of government that doesn’t work based on sentiments, it works on your ability to get the job done.

“It is the tradition all over the world and it is also stated there in our rule book and the rules are drafted from our constitutions. It is stated there in our standing rules that aspirations of elections for the seat of the senate presidency shall be in accordance with ranking.

“Among those who are running for the seat of the senate presidency, I am the most ranked senator. Do you now play against competence based on sentiments?”

On Tuesday, Orji Uzor Kalu, senate whip, declared that it was his turn to be senate president.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) which has the majority members in the senate is yet to present its “zoning formula” for the positions in the national assembly.