After the valedictory session of the 7th Senate yesterday, Senate President, David Mark and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, left the National Assembly complex without the usual retinue of aides and convoy of cars that are always seen with them during the last 4 years.
According to Vanguard, the unusual sight was the cynosure of all eyes for many observers around the premises as they looked as both senators left the complex with just a handful of their personal cars.
It is the tradition in the National Assemby that the senate president, his deputy and their counterparts in the House of Representatives (speaker and deputy speaker) are the only legislators permitted by law to have security aides attached to them.
Senators Mark and Ekweremadu are veterans in the upper chamber. Mark, who represents Benue South senatorial district in the senate, has been a member of the red chamber since 1999, while Ekweremadu who represents Enugu West senatorial district, has been a member since 2003.
Both senators are returning to the senate in the 8th National Assembly. They are credited with stabilising the senate which was bugged down with crisis before they assumed the role of leaders in the upper chamber. Their display of maturity has earned them plaudits from political analysts in Nigeria and beyond.
However, their chances of retaining their seats are very slim except a miracle happens, as their party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now in the minority in the senate. The PDP senators who will be at the Red Chamber in the next senate are 49 while their All Progressives Congress (APC) counterparts are 59 (58 at the moment as Senator Ahmad Zannah from Borno State died recently).
Meanwhile, one of the contenders for the senate presidency in the 8th National Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki has expressed confidence that there is high hope for him to win the seat.
It is the tradition in the National Assemby that the senate president, his deputy and their counterparts in the House of Representatives (speaker and deputy speaker) are the only legislators permitted by law to have security aides attached to them.
Senators Mark and Ekweremadu are veterans in the upper chamber. Mark, who represents Benue South senatorial district in the senate, has been a member of the red chamber since 1999, while Ekweremadu who represents Enugu West senatorial district, has been a member since 2003.
Both senators are returning to the senate in the 8th National Assembly. They are credited with stabilising the senate which was bugged down with crisis before they assumed the role of leaders in the upper chamber. Their display of maturity has earned them plaudits from political analysts in Nigeria and beyond.
However, their chances of retaining their seats are very slim except a miracle happens, as their party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now in the minority in the senate. The PDP senators who will be at the Red Chamber in the next senate are 49 while their All Progressives Congress (APC) counterparts are 59 (58 at the moment as Senator Ahmad Zannah from Borno State died recently).
Meanwhile, one of the contenders for the senate presidency in the 8th National Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki has expressed confidence that there is high hope for him to win the seat.
