Senator Dino Melaye blames absentee APC Senators for PDP’s Deputy Senate President win

The Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has said that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ike Ekweremadu, emerged Deputy Senate President because some APC senators did not attend the inauguration.

Mr. Melaye, an APC member who supported the candidacy of Bukola Saraki for Senate President as opposed to the All Progressives Congress’ choice of Ahmed Lawan, made the comment while briefing the press at the Senate on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr. Melaye said if all APC senators were present at the inauguration, they would have voted for the APC contestant, Ali Ndume.

“Those who made APC to lose the Deputy Senate Presidency yesterday are those who stayed away from the Chamber,” he said, referring to pro-Lawan lawmakers who say they missed the session to meet President Muhammadu Buhari.

“If they had come, we would have won.

“For you to know that we stood by our party, we nominated Ali Ndume. We who were in the chambers as at the time of the election were 20 APC members and we voted for Ndume as at that time,” he said.

Mr. Ndume polled 20 votes but lost to the incumbent Deputy Senate President, Mr. Ekweremadu, who polled 54 votes.

Credit: Chinenye Ugonna/Premium Times