Senate adjourns plenary till February 28

The Senate on Wednesday adjourned the plenary for the 2023 general elections.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, made the announcement at the plenary in Abuja.

He said the Senate would embark on a recess to enable the lawmakers to participate fully in the campaigns for their political parties.

Lawan said: “The elections of the National Assembly together with that of the President, will take place on February 25.

“It is our prayer and hopes that those of us who are going to participate in the National Assembly elections in the Senate, that God Almighty will be on our side.

“This is because we need to have those who will provide institutional memory to be around.

“The casualties have always been too heavy and too expensive for our country and for democracy in Nigeria.

“That is not to say that Nigerians should not have the way they want to elect their members of the National Assembly. But it pays to retain parliamentarians if they are doing their job well.”

The Senate President also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct credible elections next month.

He added: “This Senate and indeed the National Assembly has supported INEC to the teeth.

READ ALSO: Senate tasks INEC on credible elections despite attack on facilities

“Almost everything that was requested for INEC was approved here in the Assembly.

“We expect that INEC will be on top of its game.”

He also urged the security agencies to ensure violent-free elections.

“Nigerians should go about this elective period without any molestation or hindrance.

“No citizen should be barred from participating if such a citizen is lawfully qualified to participate.

“That is, people should go and vote and of course, do what is right to ensure that their votes count.

“For the rest of us who may not be running we still have something to do to help the development of democracy.

“We have garnered a lot of experience working in the parliament and we still have a lot to offer.

“When we come back on February 28, three days after the presidential and National Assembly elections, our hope is that we come back here and review the situation that will have taken place. But we pray that our review should all be on the positive side.

“And for one legislative week, we will be in the chamber to March 1 before we will also go for the gubernatorial and state Houses of Assembly campaigns and elections of March 11,” he concluded.

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