Ninth Assembly: Senate To Officially Inform President Buhari, International Bodies, Of Commencement

The ninth Senate, on Thursday, resolved to write an official letter to President Muhammadu Buhari informing him that a quorum of the Senate had assembled and its presiding officers had been elected.

The upper chamber also resolved to inform international parliamentary bodies, that a quorum of the Senate of the ninth National Assembly has assembled and ready to receive any communication.

The decision followed a motion by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the Deputy Senate President, at plenary presided over by Senate President Ahmad Lawan in Abuja on Thursday.

Moving the motion, Omo-Agege urged, “That the Senate should send a message to Mr President C-in-C informing him that a quorum of the Senate has assembled and that the presiding officers of the 9th National Assembly of the Senate have been elected.

“They are Sen. Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan (Yobe North), Senate President; Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central), Deputy Senate President.”

He urged the Senate to also send a message to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, and his Deputy, Mr Idris Wase, congratulating them on their election and informing them that the Senate had elected its presiding officers.

Omo-Agege listed the international parliamentary bodies, which letters would be written to, to include the African Union, Common Wealth Parliamentary Association and Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Other are ECOWAS Parliament, Pan African Parliament and the Association of Senate, Shoora and Equivalent Council in Africa and the Arab World.

The lawmaker also urged the Senate to direct the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Muhammad Sani-Omolori, “To advise the Secretary to the Government of the Federation that a quorum of the Senate has assembled and is ready to receive any communication from the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

After some contributions by the lawmakers, Omo-Agege moved for a motion to go into a closed-door session for discussion of urgent matters.

(NAN)