FILE: 35 APC, 48 PDP senators backed Saraki
The senate reconvened on Tuesday with the watching public waiting anxiously for the lawmakers’ pronouncements on two major issues.
President Muhammadu Buhari was expected to send his ministerial list to the upper chamber on or before Wednesday. But why not Tuesday?
It turned out there was no letter from the president on that matter, and disappointed Nigerians will now have to endure another 24-hour wait, at least.
But on the second, there was drama aplenty.
While the senate was on break, Bukola Saraki, president of the chamber, had been busy with the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) defending himself against allegations of “false assets declaration”.
Minutes into the proceedings of the day, 83 members of the chamber passed a vote of confidence on Saraki despite the dramatic protestations of Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara).
In what is the clearest indication yet of the grip of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the senate, 48 of its senators backed Saraki, alongside 35 others from Saraki’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Full list produced below
| NAME | PARTY | CONSTITUENCY |
|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Ali Ndume | APC | Borno south |
| Godswill Akpabio | PDP | Akwa Ibom north-west |
| Biodun Olujimi | PDP | Ekiti south |
| Malam A Wakili | APC | Bauchi south |
| Isah Hamma Misau | APC | Bauchi central |
| Emmanuel I Paulker | PDP | Bayelsa central |
| Ogola Foster | PDP | Bayelsa west |
| Gershom H Bassey | PDP | Cross River south |
| James E Manager | PDP | Delta south |
| Ahmadu Abubakar | APC | Adamawa south |
| Joshua M Lidani | PDP | Gombe south |
| Achonu Nneji | PDP | Imo north |
| Shehu Sani | APC | Kaduna central |
| Salihu Egye | APC | Nasarawa south |
| Mao Ohuabunwa | PDP | Abia north |
| Mohammed S Ohiare | APC | Kogi central |
| Philip Aruwa Gyunka | PDP | Nasarawa north |
| Abdullahi Adamu | APC | Nasarawa west |
| Samuel Anyanwu | PDP | Imo east |
| George Sekibo | PDP | Rivers east |
| Monsurat Sunmonu | APC | Oyo central |
| Jeremiah Useni | PDP | Plateau south |
| Ogba Joseph Obinna | PDP | Ebonyi central |
| Aliyu Abdullahi | APC | Niger north |
| Sunny Ogbuoji | PDP | Ebonyi south |
| Gilbert Nnaji | PDP | Enugu east |
| Bala Ibn Na’ allah | APC | Kebbi south |
| Philip Tanimu Aduda | PDP | FCT |
| Duro Samuel Faseyi | PDP | Ekiti north |
| Kabiru Gaya | APC | Kano south |
| Mohammed Aliero | APC | Kebbi |
| Bukar Ibrahim | APC | Yobe east |
| Abubakar Kyari | APC | Borno north |
| Rose Okoji Oko | PDP | Cross River north |
| Osinakachukwu Ideozu | PDP | Rivers west |
| Matthew Urhoghide | PDP | Edo south |
| Fatima Raji-Rasaki | PDP | Ekiti central |
| Tijjani Yahaya Kaura | APC | Zamfara north |
| Sabo Mohammed | APC | Jigawa south-west |
| Danjuma La’ah | PDP | Kaduna south |
| Mohammed Lafiaji | APC | Kwara north |
| Dino Melaye | APC | Kogi west |
| Abdulrahman Abubakar | APC | Kogi east |
| Bassey Akpan | PDP | Akwa Ibom north east |
| Olarenwaju Tejuoso | APC | Ogun central |
| Buruji Kashamu | PDP | Ogun east |
| Enyinnaya Abaribe | PDP | Abia south |
| Samuel Egwu | PDP | Ebonyi north |
| David Mark | PDP | Benue south |
| Aliyu Wamakko | APC | Sokoto north |
| Marafa Bachir Abba | PDP | Taraba central |
| Mohammed Hassan | PDP | Yobe north |
| Utazi Chukwuka | PDP | Enugu north |
| Francis Alimikhena | APC | Edo north |
| Emmanuel Bwacha | PDP | Taraba south |
| Joshua Chibi Dariye | PDP | Plateau central |
| Uche Ekwunife | PDP | Anambra central |
| Murray-Bruce Ben | PDP | Bayelsa east |
| Binta Masi Garba | APC | Adamawa north |
| Jang Jonah David | PDP | Plateau north |
| Ighoyota Amori | PDP | Delta central |
| Ibrahim Gobir | APC | Sokoto east |
| Mohammed Goje | APC | Gombe central |
| Ahmed Rufa’i Sani | APC | Zamfara west |
| Ibrahim Abdullahi | APC | Sokoto south |
| Muhammad Shitu | APC | Jigawa north west |
| Andy Uba | PDP | Anambra south |
| Nelson Effiong | PDP | Akwa Ibom south |
| Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim | APC | Kwara south |
| Abdul Nyako | APC | Adamawa central |
| Theodore Orji | PDP | Abia central |
| Olaka Johnson Nwogu | PDP | Rivers south |
| Abubakar Danladi | PDP | Taraba north |
| Yele Omogunwa | PDP | Ondo south |
| Stella Adaeze Oduah | PDP | Anambra north |
| Hope Uzodinma | PDP | Imo west |
| John Owan Enoh | PDP | Cross River central |
| Peter Nwaboshi | PDP | Delta north |
| Cliffford Ordia | PDP | Edo central |
| Donald Alasoadura | APC | Ondo central |
| Mustapha Sani | APC | Kastina north |
| Gbolahan Dada | APC | Ogun west |
| David Umaru | APC | Niger east |
The country voted for change by electing APC, one person because of his personal ambition is about to reverse results of the just concluded election by giving power back to PDP. And the PDP senators, for their own selfish interest are just too ready to welcome back this person who decamped to join APC and cost his former party (PDP) the election.
And these are the people, always jousting for power, void of principle, integrity and morality are the ones we are counting on to lead our country out of the chaos we are constantly mired in