Okorocha, one other absent as 107 senators vote
By Shile GIWA
About 107 senators out of 109 shall vote for the next Senate President and Deputy Senate President. Two lawmakers from Imo State including a former Governor Rochas Okorocha were absent and their names were not announced by the Clerk of the National Assembly.
The National Assembly management appeared set for the inauguration of the ninth National Assembly and the election of the presiding officers of both chambers on Tuesday (today).
The bureaucracy of the federal parliament has also, finally laid to rest, the issue of voting method it would adopt for the polls.
Investigations by one of our correspondents revealed that the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani -Omolori, has taken possession of some ballot boxes from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
A member of the management staff of INEC told one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity on Monday that the boxes had been kept in the offices of both clerks of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
He said, “The issue of voting method is no longer in contention. The ballot boxes supplied by INEC are already in the possession and safe custody of the clerks of both red and green chambers.
“The lawmakers are aware that they would elect their presiding officers via open-secret method as contained in House Rule booklets in their possession.
“We are looking forward to a peaceful election tomorrow (today) because adequate arrangements have been perfected around the National Assembly complex, the premises and inside the chambers.”
One of our correspondents had reported that the management of the federal parliament took the decision to avoid rancour on Tuesday (today). – Punch
