Senate Presidency: Saraki gets endorsement of 64 senators
Ahead of the inauguration of the 8th Senate, 64 current and senators-elect yesterday had a meeting at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, to endorse the former Kwara State governor, Senator Bukola Saraki, for the post of Senate president.
Quoting a source at the meeting, ThisDay reports that the senators who are backing Saraki had decided to throw their weight behind the former Kwara State governor, because they want a "Senate president who is a product of the members and not imposed by a godfather."
The insider noted that those present at the meeting comprised 19 senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and 45 from the APC.
It was gathered that senators present at the meeting include: Senators Muhammad Adamu Aliero, Danjuma Goje, Andy Uba, Mohammed Ali Ndume, Gilbert Nnaji, Dino Melaye and Isiaka Adeleke, who are new to the senate, the three senators representing Delta State and two from Edo State, among others.
The resolve of the senators is aimed at thwarting attempts by the APC to zone the Senate presidency to the North-East geopolitical zone, and efforts by the National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, to foist Senator Ahmed Lawan, his preferred candidate from Yobe State, as Senate President.