Abuja – The Unity Forum of Senators said the election of Bukola Saraki as President of the Senate was illegitimate.
The forum, led by Sen. Barnabas Gemade (APC-Benue North East), supports Ahmed Lawan for President of the Senate.
The forum walked out of Wednesday’s plenary session after their protest was ruled out of order by Saraki.
Gemade told journalists that the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, was to blame for the emergence of Saraki.
He said Maikasuwa disobeyed the instruction of President Buhari to delay the inauguration of the 8th Assembly pending his meeting with All Progressives Congress’ (APC) senators-elect.
Gemade contended that the non-delay denied the senators-elect who went for the meeting with the President their right to nominate the candidate of their choice.
He said the insinuation that the senators who were absent during the election boycotted it was unfounded, stressing that they had as loyal party members, gone to heed the call of the President.
“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 of group.
“The Clerk of the National Assembly knowing full well that the quorum for election had not been met, went ahead to conduct the election that shut the door to 51 other senators.
“We will like to make it very clear that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gives the letter for the Proclamation.
“The Clerk is the one that received the correspondence of Mr President that there must be a slight delay in order to enable him to speak with senators of the APC before they commence the process.
“In the House of Representatives, they were able to catch up because their own happened after the Senate”, Gemade said.
He said although a quorum was formed for the inauguration of the senate, quorum was not formed for electing principal officers.
He argued that the two-third majority which applied to impeachment should apply to election.
Gemade also said that every eligible senator must be present when nomination was made and closed and if all eligible senators were not present, then a quorum had not been formed.
However, another group of senators, the `Like Minds’, led by Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West), dispelled claims of the Unity Forum, saying President Buhari would not fix two meetings at the same time.
“The President, in his constitutional duty, sent a proclamation letter to the National Assembly.
“In that proclamation letter, he stated categorically that the proclamation of the 8th Senate will be done at 10 a.m. on June 9, 2015.
“How can Mr President on one hand send a letter of proclamation to the National Assembly and on the other hand, call for a meeting at the International Conference Centre?
“If Mr President wants to meet legislators, the Defense House is there, the Villa is there, the banquet Hall is there; why International Conference Centre?
“However, did Mr President eventually attend to anybody at International Conference Centre? Capital No! “, Melaye said.
He said Buhari had consistently reaffirmed that he had no preferred candidate and was ready to work with whoever emerged.
Melaye said they were still loyal party members and had declined to attend the meeting as they were kept waiting for hours for a supposed meeting with the Vice President on Monday.
“The Buhari that we know cannot and will not give two contrary opinions, especially one that is against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The letter of proclamation was written, duly signed, time stated, date stated, he will not do otherwise.
“It is not true that we disrespected the President and if the President wants to do that, he would have called.
“He had the powers to call the Clerk of the National Assembly to say `please postpone to 12 p.m., I want to meet senators at 9 a.m.
“We in the Like Minds group are ready to have one, united senate”, he stated.
Melaye denied media reports that Sen. David Mark was sworn in as Senate Leader, saying that the position was exclusive to the ruling party. (NAN)

9niceguy:
Why? why do you people want to block this wind of CHANGE?
I only pity saraki. That's how far greediness can amputate ones career. Smh

elijah2u:
even with illegitimate he will finish his tenure

Lushcream:
Saraki has Kwara state alone

9niceguy:

Because of what you hear announce at federal level right?
I will not argue with you on that but the point is majority in kwara state dislike this guy. In fact he only have Ilorin and not ilorin generally just forget election result. I am from his state and as a matter of fact I'm currently within the state. Believe me many people from the state are very bitter due to his latest emergence as the senate president. This guy is worse than david mark that's the truth.
I laugh when you said SE and SS will accept him, for what reason? But I will sincerely ask if you truly know who are in those region.
It is only in SW and North that he can truly be recognized and he has shown to them who he is.

Enoquin:
If not because most APC supporters are sentimental; the right questions and to whom will have been asked.
1. What time was the inauguration?
2. Did David Mark and the clerk declare the 8th assembly open at the time they weren't supposed to, say 5am?
2b. Why then is Saraki termed a traitor? Nigeria wanted the inauguration by 10; the 'president' called for a meeting by 9; who should Saraki have obeyed; Nigeria or the President, seeing that APC rode on the change slogan?
3. Is it right that some Senators-elect would go for a conference when they are supposed to be inaugurated?
4. Does the President have the right to call for a conference knowing that his party members aren't the only one to attend the inauguration without taking steps to 'plead' for a postponement?
5. Did Buhari truly call for a meeting? Any evidence to this fact? Who was the party leader that confirmed the meeting?
6. Is it wise using this 'conference' story seeing that the executive is not to interfere with the legislative arm?
7. What is the way forward?
Now, if a meeting was for 9 and the president hadn't come by 10, why didn't BAT or Oyegun put a call to the President's aide and either verify his coming or plead that he postpone the inauguration?
It buggers the mind that APC took other Senators-elect from other party(ies) for granted especially seasoned politicians.
After answering these questions, you can then go forth and tackle Saraki. PDP has no blame here at all, the blame should be apportioned between the President, the leaders of the APC - shey dem plenty na, the conference attendees and the APC inauguration attendees.

Lushcream:
You better shut it down already , you ain't Kwaran than me ..... in fact am from Kwara south and Offa precisely ....... if you know Kwara very well, you would know we Offa are the best challenger of Ilorin politics as far as Kwara politics is concerned .....

The last election we used card reader and Bukola won flat down he and his boys even in Kwara south(home of opposition) .... we can say Bukola has been cheating the manual system since time but card reader technology

Not everybody like Bukola in KWARA state , not everybody love Buhari in the north, not everybody love Tinubu in Southwest even Lagos ...... but Majority love them in their various domain.

Bukola is the most popular and majority leader in Kwara state...... am a True Kwaran, when was the last time Kwara get close to power in Nigeria since Idiagbon in the 80s , is Kwara not part of Nigeria then what is the crime in Kwara becoming the senate president and what is the crime if it is Bukola......... The laboured for it and got it.

9niceguy:

Seriously you are not getting it. Card reader right? I know much more about card reader bro. I have used it subsequently and I work on it as well.
Those guys had there way just forget about the 100 per sincerity.
Bet it with me, saraki can never escape this. And about his career in politics, just watch out. EKITI OKE ERO koni baje

Lushcream:
Oke ero lol. even in Oke ero Saraki won flat down. All am saying and telling you is that saying Kwara doesn't like Saraki is a bull sh.it and highly insensitive statement from someone who claimed he is from Kwara .... The man with many people behind him has the majority and Saraki is the only person in KWARA state that has many people behind him. He enjoy popular support in Kwara state ..... it may not necessarily come from educated elites who are just minimal ...... Bukola enjoy Kwara popular support, simple.

Enoquin:
If not because most APC supporters are sentimental; the right questions and to whom will have been asked.
1. What time was the inauguration?
2. Did David Mark and the clerk declare the 8th assembly open at the time they weren't supposed to, say 5am?
2b. Why then is Saraki termed a traitor? Nigeria wanted the inauguration by 10; the 'president' called for a meeting by 9; who should Saraki have obeyed; Nigeria or the President, seeing that APC rode on the change slogan?
3. Is it right that some Senators-elect would go for a conference when they are supposed to be inaugurated?
4. Does the President have the right to call for a conference knowing that his party members aren't the only one to attend the inauguration without taking steps to 'plead' for a postponement?
5. Did Buhari truly call for a meeting? Any evidence to this fact? Who was the party leader that confirmed the meeting?
6. Is it wise using this 'conference' story seeing that the executive is not to interfere with the legislative arm?
7. What is the way forward?

Now, if a meeting was for 9 and the president hadn't come by 10, why didn't BAT or Oyegun put a call to the President's aide and either verify his coming or plead that he postpone the inauguration?
It buggers the mind that APC took other Senators-elect from other party(ies) for granted especially seasoned politicians.

After answering these questions, you can then go forth and tackle Saraki. PDP has no blame here at all, the blame should be apportioned between the President, the leaders of the APC - shey dem plenty na, the conference attendees and the APC inauguration attendees.

9niceguy:

You won't just get it right bro. I'm not a political fanatics and I won't just argue with you unnecessarily on those stipulations of yours. By the way, just sit back and watch what is coming out of this

Lushcream:
You are very sensible than most dudes on Nairaland .... a rare breed. God bless your brain.

Dont mind bunch of dullards here ..... Did Tinubu not betrayed Ribadu in 2011

Why would the president wrote clerk to convene meeting at 10 and called yeye meeting @9 ...... Why can't APC leaders stand to change ..... must they lord over the house ...... Tinubu wants to have it all but Atiku/Bukola camp won't free for him.

dunkem21:



Can I buy you lunch ..Pls don't say No!

Enoquin:

Yes! Send via DHL

Lushcream:
am not a fanatics myself .... but ur hatred for Bukola has blinded you so deep , am not a fan of Bukola........ but I argue open- heartedly and if am lying, you would have had a reasonable ground to counter me .....

9niceguy:

I can't just loling at u.
Well, what happen when APC changed PDP sec to theirs? RIOT! If you still don't get the point clear. The number of votes casted for APC in kwara state insn't pure and you can quote that anytime.
About the card reader, what happen in Rivers, Abia and others? Learn to wake up from your sleep bro...
People like you are behind why they call us ONE family slave in kwara state.
And mind you, I have no hatred for ANYBODY.

Lushcream:
You are behaving like a slave already in this thread because if you don't know how powerful your enemy is, then you would never be able to decipher how strong you need to be to defeat him ..... what happened in the areas you mentioned were riot, failure of card readers and mayhem..... Kwara had peace during the last concluded election ......

Online is never where you deliver yourself of being called slave, it is about action......... Saraki keep getting stronger everyday, He is now the senate president which is the 3rd most ranked person in Nigeria........ whether you accept it or not , it is left to your innate intelligence.