Ekiti Election Causes Tension In Senate
Latest news coming out of the Senate in Abuja indicates that there was tension on the floor of the red chamber on Thursday, 26 June, 2014 over the just concluded governorship election in Ekiti State, western Nigeria.
Punch reports that a rowdy session occurred in the senate as a result of a disagreement between the Chairman, Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission, Senator Andy Uba and the Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Babafemi Ojodu.
According to the report, it was the timely intervention of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, that prevented an exchange of blows between the two senators.
It was gathered that the trouble started when Uba, who spoke under Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rule, commended INEC, for conducting what he called “the most credible election in the country.”
Uba, a Peoples Democratic Party member representing Anambra South Senatorial District in the upper chamber, had stated that there was a lot of improvement in the conduct of the Ekiti State governorship election by INEC and also commended the people and government of Ekiti State for the peaceful conduct of the election that led to the incumbent Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress, losing to a former governor of the state, Ayo Fayose of the PDP.
Reports stated that Uba's submission angered Ojudu, who also decided to raise Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rule, to fault the argument of Uba.
* Senator Andy Uba
The All Progressives Congress senator, who lost his ward during the Ekiti poll, drew the attention of the senate to the fact that Uba’s younger brother, Chief Chris Uba, allegedly led the police to cause havoc during the exercise in the state.
Ojudu said, “My colleague (Andy Uba) had already read Order 43, I don’t need to repeat it. I will like to commend the governor-elect of Ekiti State and my governor for accepting the result of the election.
“But I want to say here Mr. President that my colleague who stood here to talk, his younger brother Chris Uba (allegedly) led police to the hotel and smashed all the doors of the hotel.”
* Senator Femi Ojudu
It was gathered that Ojodu's speech was interrupted by the PDP Senators in the chamber who shouted him down.
And a result, Senators Philip Aduda representing the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and Smart Adeyemi representing Kogi West, visibly moved against Ojudu.
Ekweremadu then ruled Ojudu out of order because the Order 43, prohibits discussing any controversial issue.
* Nigerian senate
But before ruling him out of order, Ekweremadu commended INEC for a “job well done” and implored the commission to do better in the forthcoming 2015 general elections.
It could be recalled that PDP's candidate, Ayodele Fayose defeated the incumbent governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi in the election held on 21 June, 2014.
After the election, Fayose stated that his closeness to the grassroots people in the Ekiti made him to win the governorship election.
The new governor does not assume office till October when the tenure of Governor Fayemi would expire.
Source: Legit.ng
