Borno senator, Ali Ndume, on Wednesday said he has put behind his loss of the Senate presidency to Ahmed Lawan.

Mr Ndume challenged the new Senate President, Mr Lawan, during the run-up to the inauguration of the 9th Senate that climaxed on Tuesday, June 11.

He contested against Mr Lawan, a Yobe State senator, who was backed by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Resisting all pressures to step down, Mr Ndume insisted he would contest the plum seat. He later went into the election but eventually lost to Mr Lawan, polling 28 votes against the latter’s 79.

Mr Ndume, who immediately conceded defeat on Tuesday, said he does not regret his action.

In a statement on Wednesday, he spoke again about the loss, expressing his “appreciation to everyone who must have supported his aspiration for the Senate leadership.”

He said, “even though I did not clinch the position, it was, however, a worthy effort as it added value and credibility to the process because it ensured fairness and justice to all the contenders.”

The statement which was signed by his spokesperson, Mohammed Alfa, said the “the purpose of his aspiration was not to undermine the process but to ensure that democracy and the rule of law are entrenched in the polity, adding that, the outcome of the election was indeed a victory for democracy.”

“While congratulating all the winners for their hard-earned victories, he (Ndume) noted that those who lost equally deserve commendation for being steadfast and courageous in the face of whatever misgivings, as their actions gave the exercise legitimacy.

“The former Senate leader said irrespective of all that transpired, senators are members of one family; that despite the political divide, members of the legislature must remain united in working for a better Nigeria by ensuring that the 9th Senate achieves just that, especially now that a leader has emerged through a credible, transparent, fair and just process.

“Senator Ndume also assured that the relationship between him and all his colleagues in the Senate is cordial and mutually exclusive to the enthronement of an egalitarian society which every Nigerian will be proud of in due course,” the statement added.