Senator Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West) on Wednesday revealed why the All Progressive Party (APC) lost the seat of the Deputy Senate Presidency to Ike Ekweremadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Melaye, addressing newsmen in Abuja, said the party lost Deputy Senate Presidency to PDP because many of its senators were absent from Tuesday’s inauguration.
Ike Ekweremadu was elected deputy senate president
The senator alleged that APC senators present at the inauguration voted for the APC contestant, Sen. Ali Ndume, but due to the large number of APC senators absent, a PDP candidate who was nominated won the seat.
PM News quotes the Kogi senator saying, “Those that made APC to lose the Deputy Senate Presidency yesterday were those who stayed away from the chamber.
“If they had come, we would have won, we stood by our party, we nominated Sen. Ali Ndume, and the man who seconded the motion is a Senator from Kwara.”
Melaye said the 20 votes Ndume polled were gotten from the 20 APC members are in the chamber which Ndume got the remaining votes as he polled 54 to emerge winner.
He added that the election of the senate president of the speaker of the house of representatives has not divided or polarised the APC.
The PDP has 49 senators and APC, 58 in the Senate house.
Senator Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central – APC) was elected Senate President after being adopted by PDP members in the house while Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP emerged deputy senate president.
Meanwhile, the leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has vowed not to recognize the newly sworn in senate president, Bukola Saraki.
Melaye, addressing newsmen in Abuja, said the party lost Deputy Senate Presidency to PDP because many of its senators were absent from Tuesday’s inauguration.
Ike Ekweremadu was elected deputy senate president
The senator alleged that APC senators present at the inauguration voted for the APC contestant, Sen. Ali Ndume, but due to the large number of APC senators absent, a PDP candidate who was nominated won the seat.
PM News quotes the Kogi senator saying, “Those that made APC to lose the Deputy Senate Presidency yesterday were those who stayed away from the chamber.
“If they had come, we would have won, we stood by our party, we nominated Sen. Ali Ndume, and the man who seconded the motion is a Senator from Kwara.”
Melaye said the 20 votes Ndume polled were gotten from the 20 APC members are in the chamber which Ndume got the remaining votes as he polled 54 to emerge winner.
He added that the election of the senate president of the speaker of the house of representatives has not divided or polarised the APC.
The PDP has 49 senators and APC, 58 in the Senate house.
Senator Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central – APC) was elected Senate President after being adopted by PDP members in the house while Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP emerged deputy senate president.
Meanwhile, the leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has vowed not to recognize the newly sworn in senate president, Bukola Saraki.
