₦airaland Forum

Seventy-seven senators from across the geo-political zones have endorsed the candidacy of Senator David Mark to continue as the Senate president in the next legislative session of the National Assembly. Among these are all the senators from the North Central zone of the country, who had earlier endorse Mark for re-election for the 7th session of the NASS. Incidentally, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also zone the position to the North Central region.

The position of the North Central senators was conveyed at a press conference held at the National Assembly yesterday by senators and senators elects from the zone. Those in attendance were senators Smart Adeyemi, Zainab Kure, Victor Lar, Abdullahi Adamu, Joshua Dariye, Adokwe Solomon Suleiman, Phillip Aduda, Wesu Kuta and Dantong Danglong and Barnabas Gemade. One of the arrowheads of the campaigners of the Mark presidency project, Senaor Smart Adeyemi explained that the rest senators who were not at the press briefing did so because of other pressing engagement. Notwithstanding, Adeyemi said the absentee senators alread identified with the Mark’s project.

Addressing journalists at the occasion, Zainab Kure highlighted the achievements of the Senate President David Mark in the last four years, noting that a carefulanalysis of Mark has left no senator in doubt as to his ability and experience to steer the leadership of the National Assembly for the next four years. Kure, who is from Niger state, explained that the dexterity of the Senate President and his outstanding leadership qualities made the amendment of the electoral reform possible. She also said the ‘doctrine of necessity’, which saved the country from a political logjam occasioned by the ill health of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was achieved through the very vast experience of the Senate president David Mark.

Said Kure, “We believe that it’s our responsibility to support him because, we feel he is the best man for that position, he has done an excellent job as the senate president. “He played a very statesman role in steering the ship of the senate and we feel it is unequal to none, he is a listening person who carries every one along, he is also patient and has shamed our critics as far his military background is concern. “He allows for fairness and equality, he also accommodates all views in the chambers irrespective of party lines, many did not believe that it would happen, but because of his ability and experience we were able to record success which also led to the free and fair elections we have had.

The Senate yesterday called the bluff of critics. It amended certain clauses in its body of rules, making it impossible for freshers to vie for positions, particularly President of the Senate.
Through a unanimous voice vote after a guided debate that lasted more than two hours, the lawmakers overwhelmingly endorsed the amendment with relish. Bringing down the gavel on the amendment, Senate President David Mark said the Senate could not have chickened out of the amendment simply because a section of the public kicked against the move.
Describing the opposition to the amendment as deliberate blackmail from outside the parliament, Mark said the rule was not new and that the Senate only moved it from one section of the rules book to the other.
His words: "This is not a rule that is new; it already exists. We only moved it from Section 97(1) (f) to 3(2). Any new senator who is not ranking today would be ranking tomorrow."
"It is for the strengthening of the Senate as an institution. This has nothing to do with David Mark but the institution of Senate. Commentators are ignorant of the rules and they were trying to blackmail us.
"There is nothing wrong with what we are doing now. If we chicken out because a few people are not comfortable with it, I think it is not the right thing to do."
However, the composition of principal officers in the current Senate appears to fault Mark’s claim on the pre-existence of the rule. Of the 10 principal officers, seven are ranking members. The remaining three got the positions as first time members.
The ranking members among the list are: David Mark (President of the Senate); Ike Ekweremadu (Deputy President of the Senate); Teslim Folarin (Majority Leader); Kanti Bello (Chief Whip); Victor Ndoma Egba (Deputy Majority Leader); Maina Ma’aji Lawan (Minority Leader) and Olorunnimbe Mamora (Deputy Minority Leader).
First time senators who are principal officers are: Mohammed Mana (Deputy Chief Whip); Ahmad Sani (Minority Whip); and Kabiru Gaya (Deputy Minority Whip). None of them had any previous legislative experience at any level before they got elected to the Senate.
The amendment came through a motion by Majority Leader Teslim Folarin, entitled: "Amendment to Senate Standing Order 2007".
The new rule 3(2) states that "nomination of senators to serve as presiding officers and appointment of principal officers and other officers of the Senate or any parliamentary delegations shall be in accordance with ranking of senators."
By virtue of the amendment, senators are ranked in line with the number of times re-elected, followed by senators who had been members of the House of Representatives; and senators elected for the first time in that order.
A new clause was also inserted into Rule 111, which makes it possible for any unfinished legislative business to be carried over from a previous session to a new one. Unfinished legislative business used to terminate at the end of the session.
"The legislative business of the Senate, which remains undetermined at the close of a session of the Senate, shall be resumed and proceeded with in same manner as if no adjournment of the Senate had taken place.
"And all papers referred to committees and not reported upon at the close of session of the Senate shall be returned to the office of the Clerk of the Senate and retained until the next session of the Senate when they shall be returned to the relevant committees to which they had previously been referred."
Among the senators who spoke in support of the amendment were Ekweremadu, Mamora, Annie Okwonkwo, Ndoma Egba and Lee Maeba.

Lol
Buhari supporters will soon come here to ask for sauce
Lemme leave before dey start to quote me


Say no to fake "change"

Say yes to transformation

Come 2019, we going to change d "changers"

Another junk journalism. Did I just read there that Smart Adeyemi was among the endorsers of Mark? The same Smart who recently lost his seat to Dino Melaye and won't be in the Senate after May 29th? ? If una wan fabricate lies makes una try pay attention to detail small.

WisdomFlakes:
Another junk journalism. Did I just read there that Smart Adeyemi was among the endorsers of Mark? The same Smart who recently lost his seat to Dino Melaye and won't be in the Senate after May 29th? ? If una wan fabricate lies makes una try pay attention to detail small.

Nice one.

E don be for APC if the news is true.

stale news from 2011

Space booked...........

OREMUSSANCTUS:
Lol
Buhari supporters will soon come here to ask for sauce
Lemme leave before dey start to quote me


Say no to fake "change"

Say yes to transformation

Come 2019, we going to change d "changers"

Once,one turns robot.He loses his sense of reasoning.Wasn't surprised sha.News with source?U want us to believe that?We ain't robots that need to b programmed.We r human beings.

OPIATOHA:
The Senate yesterday called the bluff of critics. It amended certain clauses in its body of rules, making it impossible for freshers to vie for positions, particularly President of the Senate.
Through a unanimous voice vote after a guided debate that lasted more than two hours, the lawmakers overwhelmingly endorsed the amendment with relish. Bringing down the gavel on the amendment, Senate President David Mark said the Senate could not have chickened out of the amendment simply because a section of the public kicked against the move.
Describing the opposition to the amendment as deliberate blackmail from outside the parliament, Mark said the rule was not new and that the Senate only moved it from one section of the rules book to the other.
His words: "This is not a rule that is new; it already exists. We only moved it from Section 97(1) (f) to 3(2). Any new senator who is not ranking today would be ranking tomorrow."
"It is for the strengthening of the Senate as an institution. This has nothing to do with David Mark but the institution of Senate. Commentators are ignorant of the rules and they were trying to blackmail us.
"There is nothing wrong with what we are doing now. If we chicken out because a few people are not comfortable with it, I think it is not the right thing to do."
However, the composition of principal officers in the current Senate appears to fault Mark’s claim on the pre-existence of the rule. Of the 10 principal officers, seven are ranking members. The remaining three got the positions as first time members.
The ranking members among the list are: David Mark (President of the Senate); Ike Ekweremadu (Deputy President of the Senate); Teslim Folarin (Majority Leader); Kanti Bello (Chief Whip); Victor Ndoma Egba (Deputy Majority Leader); Maina Ma’aji Lawan (Minority Leader) and Olorunnimbe Mamora (Deputy Minority Leader).
First time senators who are principal officers are: Mohammed Mana (Deputy Chief Whip); Ahmad Sani (Minority Whip); and Kabiru Gaya (Deputy Minority Whip). None of them had any previous legislative experience at any level before they got elected to the Senate.
The amendment came through a motion by Majority Leader Teslim Folarin, entitled: "Amendment to Senate Standing Order 2007".
The new rule 3(2) states that "nomination of senators to serve as presiding officers and appointment of principal officers and other officers of the Senate or any parliamentary delegations shall be in accordance with ranking of senators."
By virtue of the amendment, senators are ranked in line with the number of times re-elected, followed by senators who had been members of the House of Representatives; and senators elected for the first time in that order.
A new clause was also inserted into Rule 111, which makes it possible for any unfinished legislative business to be carried over from a previous session to a new one. Unfinished legislative business used to terminate at the end of the session.
"The legislative business of the Senate, which remains undetermined at the close of a session of the Senate, shall be resumed and proceeded with in same manner as if no adjournment of the Senate had taken place.
"And all papers referred to committees and not reported upon at the close of session of the Senate shall be returned to the office of the Clerk of the Senate and retained until the next session of the Senate when they shall be returned to the relevant committees to which they had previously been referred."
Among the senators who spoke in support of the amendment were Ekweremadu, Mamora, Annie Okwonkwo, Ndoma Egba and Lee Maeba.

This is a very very misleading and stale article. Majority of the names on that list won't be members when the 8th senate is inaugurated. Mamora, Ndoma-Egba, Teslim Folarin, Kure herself.

Alphaoscar:
This is a very very misleading and stale article. Majority of the names on that list won't be members when the 8th senate is inaugurated. Mamora, Ndoma-Egba, Teslim Folarin, Kure herself.

chair,,,its an old story...there are just been clowns