Still angered over the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate
President, wife of National Leader of the All Progressive Congress, APC,
Senator Oluremi Tinubu refused a handshake from the Senate President in
what appears the beginning of her “war” with the Senate Leadership.
Her husband, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was said to have been visibly angry
yesterday that he asked his wife to lead some Senators back to the Senate
Chambers to “elect” the APC’s preferred choice for Senate Presidency. That
move hit the rock as Senator Saraki had already been sworn-in.
However, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday administered oath
of office and allegiance on Ahmad Lawan and 27 other All Progressives
Congress senators who were absent at the formal inauguration of the Eighth
Senate.
The senators were gathered at the International Conference Centre, Abuja,
waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari, who was billed to address them
when the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa,
proclaimed the Eighth Senate and subsequently conducted the election.
The election, which had 23 APC senators in attendance, produced Saraki as
president of the Senate, while Senator Ike Ekweremadu was elected his
deputy.
Saraki, after the election, administered oath of office and allegiance on
75 other senators.
However, the others, mainly members of the Senate Unity Forum, led by
Senator Ahmad Lawan, mobilised themselves to the chamber as early as
8:30am on Wednesday, waiting for the Senate president, to formally swear
them in as senators.
The senators, after the votes and proceedings of the previous legislative
day were adopted, took turn to take their oaths by reading it out aloud
and append signatures.
By protocol, each of the newly sworn-in senators was expected, after
taking the oaths, to present a copy of their certificate to the Senate
President and in turn, shake hands with him.
The protocol was duly followed by others except Senator Oluremi Tinubu
(Lagos Central ), who refused to shake hands with Saraki, but merely
showed him her certificate and walked out on the Senate President.