Bukola Saraki has been returned unopposed as the new senate president.
The former governor of Kwara state was nominated by Sani Yarima, former governor of Zamfara state. Dino Melaye, from Kogi state, seconded his nomination.
As Abubakar Sani, the clerk of the national assembly, called for more nominations and there was none, he declared Bukola the duly elected president of the senate.
Ahmad Lawan, the preferred candidate of the APC, was not nominated.
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Out of 108 senators-elect, 57 were present while 51 were absent.
Only 55 senators are needed to choose a senate president.
Some APC senators were reportedly absent owing to their meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja.
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The meeting was said to be going at the same time as the inauguration, hence their failure to nominate Lawan.
TheCable had reported in December 2014 that Saraki was favoured for the position, but his candidature did not go down well with other factions within the APC which considered him as too ambitious.
Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP and Ali Ndume of APC were nominated for the position of deputy senate president and an election had to be held.
The voting was on at the time of reporting.
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6 comments
He has cone to effect good change in the counry Let join hands and pray for him to pilot the affairs of the senate.
This election cannot stand as other senators will protest. It is not a fuller house. Democarcy at work again here
One of the beauties of democracy is that the minority will have their say, and the majority their way! In all cases, the nation should come first. Move on Nigeria!
Is not creadeble election due to other members are not there, may they have done that in order to make him as there candidate. God put us through
I am not suprised with the outcome of the inaugration of 8th national assembly. Early this morning, I told my wife that APC leaders are deceiving themselves by annointing principal officers of the NASS. Because, Senator Bukola Saraki just needed only 55 votes to clinch the leadership of senate house by seeking the support of 49 elected members of his old fold. Beautiful! He used his knowledge of medical science to diagnose the problems of APC leaders and he did good surgery on them. Congrats, Senator Bukola Saraki.Nigerian populace are with you.
APC SHOULD LEARN SOMETHING FROM PDP,LET THERE BE UNITY WITHIN THEMSELVES.A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF WILL NOT STAND.