The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to abide by the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 in the conduct of the March 11 Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
He stated this at the close of Thursday’s plenary in Abuja while also suspending plenary to March 14 to enable senators participate in the campaigns and elections.
Lawan urged the electoral umpire to consider all issues raised by the public during the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections in order to have a smooth conduct of the governorship and state houses of assembly elections.
He said: “I think INEC should consider looking into issues raised by the public. INEC should be strictly guided by the Constitution and the Electoral Act and their guidelines and regulations.
“Nigerians should support INEC in whatever way they can so that it conducts the governorship and states assembly elections successfully.
“This is because that is what we all expect and that is what we need as a democracy.
“We will be out of this place for the next two weeks and come back and continue our legislative functions.
“I thank every senator for doing everything possible to make this Ninth Senate a success.
“We have finished this legislative week. The idea of reconvening immediately after the presidential and national assembly elections was to ensure that we are abreast with the whole situation both that happened during election and are happening now.
“This is so that we remain part and parcel of the solution where necessary and we have achieved that and we have also in the process done other legislative work.
“We have to adjoin for all of us to participate in the campaigns and elections of the governors and states assembly members.”.
The Senate President further noted that seven serving senators were contesting in the governorship election.
He listed them to include: Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege running for the governorship of Delta under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Others are Sen. Aishatu Binani (APC-Adamawa), Sen. Haliru Jika (NNPP-Bauchi), Sen. Sandy Onor (PDP-Cross River), Sen. Uba Sani (APC-Kadana), Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha (APC-Taraba), and Sen. Teslim Folarin (APC-Oyo).
Lawan said: “We wish all of them success and Nigeria will be making history, this senate will be making history.
“Sen. Binani will make history if elected to be the first Nigerian female governor.
“We wish all our colleagues contesting and those of us who are not running should all go and participate in the processes because we will be able to observe first hand, some of the issues that may arise.
“During the presidential and national assembly election on a general note, everything went on fine but still we have one or two complaints coming from the public.”
