How Bukola Saraki Emerges Senate President
While the 51 senators loyal to the leaders of the APC gathered at the ICC for a meeting with the party leaders to settle the impasse over the National assembly leadership, members loyal to senator Bukola Saraki and other PDP senators convene at the senate chamber of the National Assembly at about 9: 20am to commenced the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly. The programme commence at exactly 10:00am with the reading of the proclamation letter from President Muhammadu Buhari by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasua.
Senator Sani Yarima, former governor of Zamfara state nominated Bukola Saraki for the post. Dino Melaye, from Kogi state, seconded his nomination.
Abubakar Sani, the clerk of the national assembly, called for more nominations and there was none, he then proceeded to declared Bukola Saraki the duly elected president of the senate. Ahmad Lawan, the preferred candidate of the APC, was not present for nomination.
57 out of 108 senators-elect, were present while 51 were absent. Meanwhile Senator George Akume has responded to the elections conducted by the PDP faction of the members of the National assembly which “elected” Senator Bukola Saraki as the Senate President and Senator Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President.
Responding in a press conference held at his residence earlier today, about the outcome of the elections at the Senate, Senator Dr. George Akume alleged that what happened at the Senate today smacks of due process and also stressed that he had nothing against all those involved in the sham elections.
