APC Nominates Senate President, Deputy As Saraki Boycotts Election Process

The APC senators have held a mock election for the purpose of choosing the party’s candidate for the June 9th election of the Senate president and the deputy.

The election took place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, on the night of Saturday, June 6.

Senator Ahmed Lawan of Yobe ​state was nominated ​for the position of the Senate president, while Senator George Akume, Benue state, was selected as his running mate.

Senator Saraki, who is Lawan’s main challenger for the seat, and his supporters boycotted the voting, reports say.

As a result, Lawan secured 32 votes, while Akume scored 31. Two votes were declared invalid. The APC has 59 senators in the 109-member Senate.

Mala Buni, the returning officer of the election, announced the official results of the poll: “Messrs Lawan and Akume are now the recognised candidates of the APC for the office of Senate president and Deputy respectively.”

READ ALSO: Senate Presidency: More Support Comes For Lawan-Akume

Senator Bukola Saraki’s group has reacted to the APC mock elections. They explained their boycott in a statement, published in the early hours of Sunday, June 7.

The group tagged the open ballot system adopted for the mock election as “primitive and undemocratic”.

“Regrettably, the Unity Forum insisted on open ballot voting which we discovered is different from the electoral process used to conduct the earlier election with the House of Representatives members elect.

“To us, this open ballot voting is primitive; undemocratic and against universal electoral norms and practice.

Saraki, Senator-elects of “Like Minds” during a courtesy visit to Atiku Abubakar, May 24, 2015. Photo: Bukola Saraki

“In the light of the above, we the Senators elect of Like Minds hereby insist on our position of Open Secret voting process which we believe is in consonance with the provisions of the electoral act, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the universal electoral values.”

See the full statement below:

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