Order of elections: Pro-Buhari Senators face one year suspension

Strong indications have emerged that the ten pro- Muhammadu Buhari Senators who had last week Wednesday, kicked against the new sequence of elections adopted by the apex legislative chamber, following amendment of the 2010 Electoral Act, will be suspended for one year.

According to a source in the Senate, the Senator Samuel Anyanwu, PDP, Imo East led Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions is set to meet this week on the matter, just as the source said that the 10 senators who opposed the bill could be placed on one year suspension.


Vanguard gathered yesterday that the one year suspension is coming not withstanding apologies rendered on the floor of the Senate on Thursday by Senator Ovie Omo- Agege, APC, Delta Central.

It would be recalled that on February 14, and angered by what happened at the Senate chamber and while sitting was still on- going, ten Senators of the All Progressives Congress, APC walked out on the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki while he was still presiding, went straight to the Senate Press Corps Centre to address Journalists, expressing their reservations and vehemently kicked against the bill.

According to them, the action was not only a trash, but a rush, self-serving and targeted at the President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid, adding that the amendment was carried out in very bad faith which will not stand.

The ten aggrieved Senators were led by the immediate past Chairman of Northern Senators Caucus and former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu whose argument against the bill was truncated at the plenary session by Saraki.

Other Senators that joined Senator Abdullahi Adamu in the protest were Abu Ibrahim (Katsina South); Ali Wakil (Bauchi South); Abdullahi Gumel (Jigawa North West); Umar Kurfi (Katsina Central); Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North); Binta Garba Masi (Adamawa North); Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central); Andrew Uchendu (Rivers East); and Benjamin Uwajimogu (Imo North).

The protesting senators who had claimed to be 59 in number, said that others could not join them because they were attending to some official matters at different locations.

Also recall that despite the apology, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session asked Omo-Agege to make his case before the Committee.

It has, however, emerged that any indicted Senator on account of that investigation would be suspended for one year.

Also recall that outside Omo-Agege, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who was last week relieved of his position as Chairman of Northern Senators Forum was said to have turned down the option of apologising to the Senate in plenary.

He was said to have met with Senate President Bukola Saraki and the latter was said to have advised him to follow the footsteps of Omo-Agege.

Sources, however said that the Saraki’s camp has linked the impeachment plot being orchestrated against him to the uprising of February 14.

According to sources in the chamber, loyalists of the Senate President have decided to nip the uprising by dealing with anyone who erred and linked to the plot.

The source said, “Recall that earlier in the year, some top members of the ruling party met at different locations to plan the removal of the Senate President. At least two of those who staged the walkout have been linked to the assignment and that is why a decision has been taken to deal decisively with anyone harbouring the operation of “axis of evil” in this Senate.”

It was gathered that unless the culprits are able to convince the Senate Committee that they never meant to bring Senate into “disrepute” any of those indicted would serve a one year suspension.

But the said impeachment plot appears to have collapsed following indications that the numbers are not adding up.

It was also gathered that the plan was to secure as many senators required to remove the Senate President by presenting the plot as an APC agenda, unfortunately, many of the Senators approached were said to have backed out, while the Senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have opposed the plot.  (Vanguard)