Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has described the emergence of Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives as ”a collective preference for credible legislature that will work for Nigerians”.
Sen. Ahmed Lawan, representing Yobe North, emerged as Senate President and Chairman of the 9th National Assembly on Tuesday, while Femi Gbajabiamila, a lawmaker representing Surulere 1, Lagos, emerged as the Speaker of House of Representatives.
The governor in a statement on Wednesday congratulated the duo and their deputies for their well deserving victories, saying, ”our confidence in your capacity and competence to lead is massive.”
The statement reads in part: “On behalf of the government and people of Kogi state, I congratulate distinguished Sen. Lawan, the new Senate President and Chairman of the National Assembly and his deputy, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege.
“Their emergence not only reaffirms the primacy of the popular will, it also underlines our collective preference as a party for a credible legislature which will work for Nigerians.”
He commended the All Progressives Congress (APC) party’s doggedness in putting up a united front in line with the governing party’s ideology.
“Credit must also go to our overall leader, President Muhammadu Buhari for his steadfast impartiality and fatherly roles, while various aspirants in both Chambers jostled for advantage in the leadership positions.
“This is the time for NASS to genuinely consolidate on the next level of change promised to Nigerians,” Bello added.
Lawan scored 79 votes to defeat Ali Ndume, who polled 28 votes, while the senator representing Delta Central, Mr Ovie Omo-Agege, polled 68 votes to emerge as Deputy Senate President at the expense of his rival, former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who scored 37 votes.
Gbajabiamila floored his rival Mohammed Umar Bago with a total of 281 votes as against the latter’s 76 votes, to emerge Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives.
Ahmed Wase from Niger State, was elected unopposed as the Deputy Speaker.
