Senate factions square off over legality of Saraki’s leadership

Infighting among members of the newly inaugurated 8th session of the Senate has kicked off as two factions have emerged in the red chamber in support, and against the legality of the election of Bukola Saraki as the Senate president.

Members of the Senate Unity Forum, who were in support of Senator Ahmed Lawan becoming the Senate President on Wednesday threatened to take legal action against the election of Senator Bukola Saraki, which, according to them, did not follow due constitutional procedure.

Senator Barnabas Gemade who spoke on behalf of the group addressed newsmen at the National Assembly Complex, after he led members of the group to stage a walkout in the chambers.

He said his group would, very soon, challenge the alleged 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 was elected on Tuesday.”

But members of the Like Minds Senators, who are in support of Senator Saraki at another news conference addressed by Senator Dino Melaye, in company of four others, maintained that due process was followed in the election of Saraki as Senate president.

Melaye also dared the SUF members to challenge the action in court even as he expressed full confidence that the case lacked necessary merit.

But Gemade said, “The Clerk of the National Assembly knowing full well that the quorum for election of the Senate president has not been met, went ahead to conduct an election that shuts the door on about 51 other senators which would remain unacceptable until what would meet democratic parameters was done.”

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