Senate presidency: Gbenga Daniel says his people want a Christian to emerge

Senator-elect, Otunba Gbenga Daniel says his people in Ogun State want a Christian to emerge as President of the 10th Senate.

The former Governor of Ogun State said this on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Thursday, June 1, 2023.

A southern Christian, Godswill Akpabio, and a Northern Muslim, Abdul-Azeez Yari both of whom are former governors of Akwa-Ibom and Zamfara States respectively are two frontline candidates vying for the senate president position.

Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President, Kashim Shettima are Muslims, there has been a clamour that the Senate president has to be a Christian.

It is against this background that Daniel said his people want a Christian to emerge as the President of the Senate.

When asked who is his preferred candidate for senate presidency between Akpabio and Yari, Daniel said both of them are competent but his people want a Christian.

“First thing first, as you know I am the Asiwaju of Remo Christians and we’ve had a lot of battles defending the Muslim-Muslim ticket for starters, and now, it doesn't really matter where it comes from but I think what is important now is that our people want us to put a Christian” he said.

“They are all my colleagues. They are all very competent people. I just wished that this country has got to a stage where these primordial sentiments are no longer there”.

On the perceived conflicts between him, and the former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, Daniel said even though Amosu was one of the people who harassed him when he was in government, he no longer has any personal issues with him.