How Ekweremadu, Saraki Emerged Senate President and Deputy Senate President

Facts emerged how Senator Bukola Saraki of All Progressive Congress(APC) emerged as President of the
Senate against the party's nominee, Senator Ahmed Lawan even as Ike Ekweremadu a Peoples Democratic Party's [PDP] Senator-elect was re-elected as Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate.
It was gathered that at the meeting of the PDP, Senators-elect agreed at the meeting to work for Saraki emergency as Senate President and to work toward emergency of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as  Deputy Senate President.
After the meeting of PDP Senators-elect, the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Olisa Metuh issued a statement early Tuesday morning supporting Senator Bukola Saraki.
During inauguration, the clerk of National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa sought for nomination of candidate, then Senator Sani Yerima rose up to nominate Senator Saraki which was seconded by Senator Dino Melaye.

After Saraki nomination, there was no other nomination, a development which cleared the coast for Senator Saraki.
When Saraki was nominated only 57 senators mostly PDP and other members of Like Mind Senators were on the floor of the Senate.
Having been duly nominated with no other nomination, the Clerk of National Assembly declared Senator Bukola Saraki as President of the Senate.
He was elected unopposed by 57 Senators that were present at plenary.
Interestingly, 51 Senators mostly of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were absent at the inauguration.
Saraki, a former Governor of Kwara state is representing Kwara Central in the Senate. He once served as Special Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo
On Deputy Senate President, Senator Ekweremadu is a member of the minority Peoples Democratic Party.
He defeated Senator Ali Ndume of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
He was nominated by Abiye Sekibo from Rivers State and won the race following a power sharing deal that had the minority but influential PDP back the new Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Also, a scheduled meeting between leaders of the All Progressives Congress, President Muhammadu Buhari and members of the National Assembly elected on the party’s platform ended abruptly on Tuesday.
The party leaders and some elected Senators and members of the House of Representatives were at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, waiting for Buhari, when news filtered in that the Senate had been inaugurated and that Saraki had emerged unopposed.
A total of 75 senators participated in the election out of which 54 voted for Ekweremadu and for Ali Ndume who surprisingly was even happier than Ekweremadu after the announcement of result.

That gives credence to the fact that his nomination was merely done to prevent him and other 25 APC senators in the 'Like Minds' group from being accused of expressly giving the position to PDP, the opposition party in the 8th National Assembly.
Elombah post