Tag Archives: Ekweremadu’s Win

Saraki Foils Move To Nullify Ekweremadu’s Election As Deputy Senate President

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Senate President Bukola Saraki on Wednesday stopped an attempt to nullify the election of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as deputy Senate president.

Ekweremadu who is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) became deputy Senate president in an All Progressives Congress (APC) dominated Senate on June 9, in what appeared like a coup to some senators of the party who were at the International Conference Centers to attend a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

At Wedensday’s plenary, Senator Kabiru Marafa raised a point of order where he observed that the
election of Ekweremadu was in breach of the Senate standing rules.

He said the rules that the senate was using were initiated in 2011, which provides that an election into any of the presiding offices in the red chamber shall be via division and not secret ballot where two contestants are vying for any of the positions.

He observed however that Ekweremadu’s election was done through secret ballot where he defeated Senator Ali Ndume of the APC. He wondered when the rules were amended and requested for an explanation from Saraki.

However, Saraki ruled him out of order, citing the Senate rules which provide that if a matter on presiding officer’s election has been taken
care of, such cannot be considered any longer.

Melaye Blames Absentee APC Senators For Ekweremadu’s Win

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The Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has said that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ike Ekweremadu, emerged Deputy Senate President because some APC senators did not attend the inauguration.

Mr. Melaye, an APC member who supported the candidacy of Bukola Saraki for Senate President as opposed to the All Progressives Congress’ choice of Ahmed Lawan, made the comment while briefing the press at the Senate on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr. Melaye said if all APC senators were present at the inauguration, they would have voted for the APC contestant, Ali Ndume.

“Those who made APC to lose the Deputy Senate Presidency yesterday are those who stayed away from the Chamber,” he said, referring to pro-Lawan lawmakers who say they missed the session to meet President Muhammadu Buhari.

“If they had come, we would have won.

“For you to know that we stood by our party, we nominated Ali Ndume. We who were in the chambers as at the time of the election were 20 APC members and we voted for Ndume as at that time,” he said.

Credit: premiumtimesng