Senators in Near Exchange of Blows over Ekiti Elections

But for the timely intervention of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, APC and PDP senators would have engaged each other in exchanging blows as tempers rose yesterday over the outcome of the just-concluded Ekiti election.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Senator Andy Uba, had, while relying on Order 43 of the Senate Standing Order, commended the electoral body for conducting what he described as the most credible election in the country.

Senator Uba, who also commended the people and government of Ekiti State for the peaceful conduct of the election, further praised the security agencies for ensuring adequate security during and after the election and urged all the relevant stakeholders that contributed to the success of the polls to carry on with the same spirit in subsequent elections.

But it was too much for Senator Babafemi Ojudu, (APC, Ekiti Central) who drew the attention of the Senate to the fact that Senator Uba’s younger brother, Chief Chris Uba had led the Police to cause havoc during the election.
Senator Ojudu said: “My colleague (Andy Uba) had already read Order 43, I don’t need to repeat it. I will like to commend the governor-elect of Ekiti State and my governor for accepting the result of the election.

“But I want to say here, Mr. President, that my colleague who stood here to talk, his younger brother Chris Uba, led police to the hotel and smashed all the doors of the hotel…”
He was immediately stopped by PDP senators who shouted at him to sit down.

Senators Smart Adeyemi (PDP, Kogi West) and Philip Aduda, (PDP, FCT) led the PDP senators in stopping Ojudu, leading to a rowdy uproar before Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at the session overruled Ojudu, using Order 43 that prohibited discussion of controversial issues in the Senate.