Punch News – Members of the
Barnabas Gemade -led Senate
Unity Forum have threatened to
take a legal action against the
emergence of Bukola Saraki on
Tuesday as the President of the
Senate.
They told a news conference in
Abuja on Wednesday that the
election of Saraki did not follow
due constitutional procedure.
They addressed the journalists
after walking out of the Senate
chambers when Saraki overruled
Gemade and Kabiru Marafa while
questioning the process that
produced the new Senate
leadership.
Saraki had administered oath of
office and allegiance on 28 All
Progressives Congress lawmakers,
who were absent at the
inauguration of the Eighth Senate
but when plenary commenced,
Gemade and Marafa raised a point
of order on the issue.
Gemade, a former Peoples
Democratic Party national
chairman, demanded full
integration of the SUF members
who were absent from the formal
inauguration on Tuesday.
He said, “I will like to appeal to the
President of the Senate that
driving for a united Senate, it
would be reasonable to
accommodate everyone. But if the
desire is not to accommodate all,
then you are heading for a divided
Senate.
“That would not be good for your
leadership, for the senate as a
whole body, and it will also not be
good for the nation. It behooves
on you, Mr. President, that due
recognition must be given to all
concerned.”
Marafa, who raised a point of
order protesting the way and
manner Saraki emerged as the
Senate president, demanded full
investigation.
He said, “The news was that the
Senate was inaugurated with 57
senators while 51 senators- elect
were absent.
“The news portrayed me and many
of my colleagues as irresponsible
members of this hallowed chamber.
That we were absent from an
event that was announced and
which we were to attend with our
spouses and well wishers, showed
us as irresponsible people.
“That caused unwarranted
embarrassment to me and other
members of this Senate and our
family members. I want to put it on
record that after the swearing in
today (Wednesday), I was handed
down Senate standing orders as
amended.
“I want to say that as an active
member of the former Seventh
Senate, I cannot recall where and
when the Senate orders were
amended or tabled for any
amendment or corrections. I think
it is worthy of notice that this act
was perpetrated and the Senate
should call for a full investigation
of what happened and where this
document emanated.”
After they were overruled, the 28
senators, including the APC choice
candidate for the Senate
Presidency, Ahmed Lawan, went to
address journalists. They did not
return until the session rose.
Gemade,who spoke for the forum,
said that 51 senators were denied
the right to take part in the
election of Saraki because they
were at the International
Conference Centre in Abuja for a
scheduled meeting with President
Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the group had resolved to
challenge the “ illegality” in court
“since it takes two-third of
members to impeach the Senate
President, two third of the
members should also, have been in
attendance before he(Saraki) was
elected on Tuesday”
The Benue State-born lawmaker,
said, “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.
“The Clerk of the National
Assembly (Salisu Maikasuwa),
knowing full well that the quorum
for election of the Senate
President was not met, went
ahead to conduct an election that
shut the door against about 51
other senators. This will remain
unacceptable until what would
meet democratic parameters is
done.
“The insinuations in some quarters
that we boycotted the election is
totally unfounded. As loyal party
members, we would take all
necessary political and legal means
to strengthen our democracy and
democratic process in line with the
change that we promised our
teeming supporters during our
electioneering.”
Gemade insisted that the election
of Saraki was null and void
because “a quorum was not formed
, which should be two-third of the
senators present.”
He said, “53 senators were out
and the remaining 56 were not
enough to elect the President of
the Senate. That is a clear position
that we take. We are not
considering the attendance of that
day to connote the quorum in the
Senate because many Senators
came there after the event was
done.”
Saraki had after his election on
Tuesday administered oath of
office and allegiance on 75
senators.
When he was elected, there were
23 APC senators and 34 PDP
senators in attendance. But when
the election of his deputy(Ike
Ekweremadu, a PDP lawmaker)
was being conducted, the number
rose to 75.
But at about 8.30pm on
Wednesday, Gemade, Lawan and
26 other members of the forum
gathered at the Senate chamber
waiting for Saraki 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 appending
their signatures.
source: www.punchng.com/news/28-apc-senators-walk-out-of-senate-session/

This is arrogancy and it is intolerable!!!

Saraki is toooooo arrogant!!

Why anull the genuine and painful issue of the members??

Saraki must be impeached!! He is not supposed to be there!! #SayNoToImpunity!!! #NoToCorruption!!

I watched it with my two korokoro eyes yesterday when he anulled the issue....the Senators did the right thing by walking out..

I was shocked and pained when he hit the 'hammer' on the desk to anull the issue!

The looks on the faces of the Senators, even some in the PDP was not good at all (they were aggrieved too and disappointed by Saraki's action to anull the issue raised)


Or are you going to tell me that it's all the PDP Senators that are satisfied with his emergence as the Senate President??

Saraki is full of impunity!!!

HE MUST BE IMPEACHED!!!!!!!!

Cc Omenka, PassingShot, Midolian, Alberto2k, NgeneUkwenu, BeremX, Iyatrustee

Ok

A is for ...

ALERT never show! Once e show they won't only walk back in, they would RUN back in! Who send them! Senators my ass more like SENATHIEVES!

So there were even 23 APC and 34 PDP senators when Saraki was nominated and elected unopposed and these people were making us believe there were just 8 APC senators present.

The 28 deviants are not even up to one third of the house so the house can go on without them. They won't be missed.

Counter productive move why do nigerians love strike so much

They adopted the proceedings of the previous day, allowed Saraki to swear them in as a senator in his capacity as the substantive senate president and later staged a walk-out to address journalists claiming his election as the president was an aberration. They are obviously not serious, their excuse as to why they were absent is untenable as nobody prevented them from joining their colleagues in participating in the process. Heeding Buhari's call for a meeting is not mandatory and clearly not part of their legislative duty

Someone is claiming he's smart.
Let's see how this end.

Wildrage:
They adopted the proceedings of the previous day, allowed Saraki to swear them in as a senator in his capacity as the substantive senate president and later staged a walk-out to address journalists claiming his election as the president was an aberration. They are obviously not serious, their excuse as to why they were absent is untenable as nobody prevented them from joining their colleagues in participating in the process. Heeding Buhari's call for a meeting is not mandatory and clearly not part of their legislative duty

So, respecting the President's call to a meeting is not okay??

i feel like wiping you koboko with this your post

Besides, what class are you I mean, Primary what are you

ZeezaRapture:
This is arrogancy and it is intolerable!!!

Saraki is toooooo arrogant!!

Why anull the genuine and painful issue of the members??

Saraki must be impeached!! He is not supposed to be there!! #SayNoToImpunity!!! #NoToCorruption!!

I watched it with my two korokoro eyes yesterday when he anulled the issue....the Senators did the right thing by walking out..

I was shocked and pained when he hit the 'hammer' on the desk to anull the issue!

The looks on the faces of the Senators, even some in the PDP was not good at all (they were aggrieved too and disappointed by Saraki's action to anull the issue raised)


Or are you going to tell me that it's all the PDP Senators that are satisfied with his emergence as the Senate President??

Saraki is full of impunity!!!

HE MUST BE IMPEACHED!!!!!!!!

Cc Omenk.a, Passing.Shot, Midoli.an, Albert.o2k, NgeneUkwe.nu, Bere.mX

Believe me, Not all the PDP senators are ok with Saraki leading them, which will make impeachment easy for the APC senators 'when the opportunity comes'.. He will have to tread carefully not to incur the wrath of the PDP senators(which I don't see him doing succesfully) cos his pride will sooner or later betray him..

ZeezaRapture:



So, respecting the President's call to a meeting is not okay??

i feel like wiping you koboko with this your post

Besides, what class are you I mean, Primary what are you

Stay calm. Time will tell.

if truth be told, the election was more of a power play between an egocentric leader (saraki) against his kings men. I believe based on what happened, PDP could had even elected a President in their party because they has 49 members as against APC's 8 or 9. saraki may not last long in office. maybe 6 months, because he may lost d Battle in the court of law. Having said all these, I don't comprehend what d president mean by say that the emergence of saraki as d SP is "somewhat constitutional".

contact 07034804404; 08071456563 for AAU past questions in PDF.

But why did only 28 walk out? Where are the others? Have they recognised Saraki? Are they negotiating for chairmanship or other prinicpal officer's position while we are discussing and debating amongst ourselves on Nairaland?

OP why not include the source to make this post FP worthy.








Let me just watch and see how the events unfolds as the days goes

Na me send them go meeting.

They should better work with him, Tinubu can not be in control of all after all Mr. President is ready to work with anybody who can deliver. Sai Saraki.

ZeezaRapture:
This is arrogancy and it is intolerable!!!

Saraki is toooooo arrogant!!

Why anull the genuine and painful issue of the members??

Saraki must be impeached!! He is not supposed to be there!! #SayNoToImpunity!!! #NoToCorruption!!

I watched it with my two korokoro eyes yesterday when he anulled the issue....the Senators did the right thing by walking out..

I was shocked and pained when he hit the 'hammer' on the desk to anull the issue!

The looks on the faces of the Senators, even some in the PDP was not good at all (they were aggrieved too and disappointed by Saraki's action to anull the issue raised)


Or are you going to tell me that it's all the PDP Senators that are satisfied with his emergence as the Senate President??

Saraki is full of impunity!!!

HE MUST BE IMPEACHED!!!!!!!!

Cc Omenka, PassingShot, Midolian, Alberto2k, NgeneUkwenu, BeremX, Iyatrustee

Cry baby, so the inconsequential idiats you mentioned here are the ones to impeach a senate president?

Some of you are just plain silly, in a sane society this criminals ( senators ) won't even want this news to be heard that they went AWOL attending a meeting at ICC ( party affair ) reasons they could not attend the inauguration ( National Assignment )

I pity idiats like you that can't reason with their brain because of partisan politics.

Ok
We don hear

Next!

^^^^^^^

Impressive
Clean placards without oil marks and dorty
Since when
Somebody should give these hungry ones Amala to wak before they board their ekene bus to Onitsha for apprenticeship

brownlord:


Cry baby, so the inconsequential idiats you mentioned here are the ones to impeach a senate president?

Some of you are just plain silly, in a sane society this criminals ( senators ) won't even want this news to be heard that they went AWOL attending a meeting at ICC ( party affair ) reasons they could not attend the inauguration ( National Assignment )

I pity idiats like you that can't reason with their brain because of partisan politics.

k

ZeezaRapture:



So, respecting the President's call to a meeting is not okay??

i feel like wiping you koboko with this your post

Besides, what class are you I mean, Primary what are you

Which President's call?

Did President Buhari told you he called any meeting? Why was he absent then?