Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday administered oath of office and allegiance on Ahmad Lawan and 27 other All Progressives Congress senators who were absent at the formal inauguration of the Eighth Senate.

The  senators were gathered at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari, who was billed to address them when the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, proclaimed the Eighth Senate and subsequently conducted the election.

The election, which had 23 APC senators in attendance, produced Saraki as president of the Senate, while Senator Ike Ekweremadu was elected his deputy. Saraki, after the election, administered oath of office and allegiance on 75 other senators.

However, the others, mainly members of the Senate Unity Forum, led by Senator Ahmad Lawan,  mobilised themselves to the chamber as early as 8:30am on Wednesday, waiting for the Senate president, to formally swear them in as senators.

The senators, after the votes and proceedings of the previous legislative day were adopted, took turn to take their oaths by reading it out aloud and append signatures.

By protocol,  each of the newly sworn-in senators were expected,  after taking their oaths,  to present a copy of their certificate to the Senate President and in turn, shake hands with him.

The protocol was duly followed by others except Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central ), who refused to shake hands with Saraki, but merely showed him her certificate and walked out on the Senate President.

Credit: punchng