The senate yesterday asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to strictly adhere to the 1999 Constitution as amended and the Electoral Act 2022 in the conduct of the March 11, 2023 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
Senator Ahmad Lawan, President of the Senate, spoke yesterday in Abuja before the Senate adjourned until March 14, urging the electoral umpire to consider all issues raised by the public during the recently concluded presidential and National Assembly elections in order to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections.
The adjournment was to enable senators to participate in the campaigns and elections.
Lawan 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 it can conduct 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 what happened during the election and is happening now.
“This is so that we remain part of the solution where necessary and we have achieved that and we have also in the process done other legislative work.
“We have to adjourn for all of us to participate in the campaigns and elections of the governors and states assembly members.”
Lawan, who noted that seven serving senators were contesting in the governorship election., listed them to include: Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, running for the governorship of Delta under the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC; Sen. Aishatu Binani (APC-Adamawa); Sen. Haliru Jika (NNPP-Bauchi); and Sen. Sandy Onor (PDP-Cross River).
Others are Sen. Uba Sani (APC-Kadana); Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha (APC-Taraba); and Sen. Teslim Folarin (APC-Oyo).
“We wish all of their success and Nigeria will be making history, this Senate will be making history.
“Senator 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,” Lawan added.