Senator Saraki was nevertheless conciliatory towards his antagonists in the ruling APC as he dismissed all insinuations of his imminent defection from the party. His insistence nonetheless, the bad blood flowing from Saraki’s upset of the APC’s official nominee for Senate President flowed into the Senate session on Wednesday as the different camps in the party squabbled over the legitimacy of the inauguration.
Besides, Bola Tinubu's wife, Senator Oluremi, publicly snubbed a
handshake from the Senate President at the swearing-in of 28 senators
who missed the oath-taking.
The PDP in its own intervention, chided the APC over its threat of sanctions on the new National Assembly leadership, saying the ruling party had proved to all that it was not prepared for governance.
Threats, as Saraki takes charge
Meanwhile, associates of Saraki were trying to explain circumstances under which Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP emerged Deputy Senate President over the camp’s earlier choice, Senator Ali Ndume.
This was upon mutual allegations of culpability between them and the
camp of Senator Ahmad Lawan, the official APC candidate for Senate
President, over the party’s loss of the office of Deputy Senate
President to the PDP.
The threat against Senator Saraki’s seat was made by supporters of Senator Lawan, who spoke under the aegis of the Unity Forum. The group vowed to seek redress in court as it alleged that the inauguration did not follow constitutional provisions.
Anger over Points of Order
Senator Marafa stated that the report that 51 senators were absent at the time of inauguration portrayed him and others as “irresponsible members of the Senate”, stressing that “singular act caused a lot of embarrassment for me and my family who felt that I was absent.”
He also alleged that he was handed the Senate Standing Order 15 as amended, pointing out that as a member of the 7th Assembly, he could not recall when the Senate Standing Order was amended.
But the Senate President ruled him out of order because he did not take
the required procedure of previously informing him, Senate President of
his motion as stipulated by the order he quoted.
Saraki also overruled Senator Barnabas Gemade who also stood on Order 15 to object to the way and manner the Senate President ruled Marafa out of order as being “abrupt and too casual.”
However, Senator Mohammed Goje while standing on the constitutional provision of Section 64 and sub-section three of the Constitution said that the President was empowered to order proclamation of this Senate as he did.
He said: “For anybody to now say this hallowed chamber should ignore that constitutional provision which is the letter from Mr President, I think that person is saying that we should disobey the Constitution of the country and disobey Mr. President. And I want to say, let it be on record, that whoever decided to go for a meeting there is on his own.”
Lawan’s Unity Forum vows to go to court
Following the session, the Lawan leaning Unity Forum at a press briefing vowed to seek a judicial review of the process that led to Saraki’s emergence.
“This process which remains unconstitutional cannot confer legitimacy on the elected Senate President. Our right to participate in the election of the Senate President is a constitutional right which cannot be taken by any person or group of persons,” Senator Gemade who led the group said.
In fact, the aggrieved group has already dragged Saraki and his co-travelers to court.
The threat against Senator Saraki’s seat was made by supporters of Senator Lawan, who spoke under the aegis of the Unity Forum. The group vowed to seek redress in court as it alleged that the inauguration did not follow constitutional provisions.
Anger over Points of Order
Senator Marafa stated that the report that 51 senators were absent at the time of inauguration portrayed him and others as “irresponsible members of the Senate”, stressing that “singular act caused a lot of embarrassment for me and my family who felt that I was absent.”
He also alleged that he was handed the Senate Standing Order 15 as amended, pointing out that as a member of the 7th Assembly, he could not recall when the Senate Standing Order was amended.
Saraki also overruled Senator Barnabas Gemade who also stood on Order 15 to object to the way and manner the Senate President ruled Marafa out of order as being “abrupt and too casual.”
However, Senator Mohammed Goje while standing on the constitutional provision of Section 64 and sub-section three of the Constitution said that the President was empowered to order proclamation of this Senate as he did.
He said: “For anybody to now say this hallowed chamber should ignore that constitutional provision which is the letter from Mr President, I think that person is saying that we should disobey the Constitution of the country and disobey Mr. President. And I want to say, let it be on record, that whoever decided to go for a meeting there is on his own.”
Lawan’s Unity Forum vows to go to court
Following the session, the Lawan leaning Unity Forum at a press briefing vowed to seek a judicial review of the process that led to Saraki’s emergence.
“This process which remains unconstitutional cannot confer legitimacy on the elected Senate President. Our right to participate in the election of the Senate President is a constitutional right which cannot be taken by any person or group of persons,” Senator Gemade who led the group said.
In fact, the aggrieved group has already dragged Saraki and his co-travelers to court.
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