Former Senate Leader in the 8th Senate, Ahmed Lawan, has emerged the Senate President of the 9th Senate.
Dr. Lawan, APC, Yobe North, secured the Senate Presidency having scored a total of 79 votes to defeat his co-contender, Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South- who polled 28 votes.
A total of 107 senators-elect took part in the exercise presided over by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori.
Lawan was the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress for the position while Ndume also of the APC, got the backing of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Senator Ali Ndume representing Borno-South had accepted his nomination for the Senate President which was moved by Adamawa-North Senator-elect, Ishaku Abbo of the Peoples Democratic Party and seconded by Rivers South-East senator-elect, Barinada Mpigi.
While accepting his nomination, Ndume urged his colleagues to vote according to their conscience.
Ndume, who noted that his decision to run was a tough one, said there was a need for the Senate to be inter-dependent from the executive arm of government.
He said there was a need to make a legal framework for constituency project which usually causes controversy.
The lawmaker-elect said as Senate President, he would ensure the swift passage of the budget and help President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve his agenda for the good of Nigerians.
Notwithstanding, Ndume’s assurances and electrifying speech were not enough to secure him the Senate President.
Announcing the result, the Clerk to the National Assembly, CNA, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, said Lawan having scored the highest number of votes required was returned winner and elected as Senate President.
Lawan was immediately sworn in by the CNA after taking the oath of allegiance and that of office.
In the election of the deputy senate president in which 105 senators voted, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege defeated Ekweremadu with 68 votes to 37. The Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, who supervised the election in the senate, announcing the result, noted that one senator abstained from voting while one vote was invalid.
In the deputy senate president election lost by Ekweremadu, the PDP candidate got additional votes more than the votes of the endorsed candidate in the senate presidential election.
Similarly, the lawmaker representing Surulere 1 Federal Constituency, Lagos, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has been elected the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The former Majority Leader of the House of Representatives won 283 of the votes cast on Tuesday evening.
Gbajabiamila who polled majority votes to defeat his sole rival is the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, while Umar Bago is a member of the party and aspirant who represents Chanchagi Federal Constituency of Niger State.
358 members-elect participated in the electoral exercise.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Gbajabiamila Speakership Campaign Council, Mr Abdulmumin Jibrin, had nominated Mr Gbajabiamila for the speakership seat and the motion was seconded by Mrs Linda Ikpeazu.
