Ben Murray-Bruce withdraws from Senatorial race after 4 years as ‘common sense’ lawmaker
A lawmaker representing Bayelsa East, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has announced his decision to withdraw from retaining his seat at the National Assembly.
Murray-Bruce said in a statement Monday night that he was withdrawing from the race to allow another candidate represent the constituency.
He said: “I thank God and the good people of Brass, Bayelsa East Senatorial District who offered me the golden opportunity four years ago to represent them and the state in the Senate, Nigeria’s highest lawmaking chamber.
“It is without doubt that I have tried to discharge my duties as a legislator and representative of my people creditably to the best of my ability so far.
“My voice has been very loud on the issues that matter to our people and our country at all time. My support to our party, my people and state government is unquestionable. I am humbled that the national leadership of my party supported by the State chapter in appreciation of my efforts offered to support my reelection to the senate to continue my service.
“I have also intensified consultations in the last couple of week in the course of which I have come to realize an existing local rotational arrangement of over 20 years beginning with the late Great Chief Melford Okilo, by which arrangement the Senatorial seat rotates per local government area among the three councils for four years in the Senatorial District.
“Even with the support of my party at the National and state levels with the full backing of my state government and leadership, as a man of honour interested in the well-being of my people, I hereby announce my withdrawal from the Senatorial race.
“I do not want whatever reason to appear to have used my privileged position and influence to do anything other than the well-being and the stability and the good of the people. I am in all of these for the people, not for myself.”
Murray-Bruce extended his gratitude to former President Goodluck Jonathan, people of his constituency, as well as his family members for their support of his career as a lawmaker.
“I thank specially the people of my constituency for their trust and confidence in me to serve and represent them in the Senate. By trusting me with this mandate, I have come to know them and our people even better, an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life,” he said.
The Senator’s time at the National Assembly has been mainly characterised by his ‘common sense’ mantra.
