Senator, 50 others absent as Saraki emerges Senate President

The earlier announced sole candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Senate Presidency, Senator Ahmed Lawan failed to attend the elections which saw Senator Bukola Saraki emerge as the occupant of the seat, reports say.

Saraki was unanimously elected as Senate President today, June 9, 2015, by 57 out of 108 Senators, according to Leadership.

Lawan and 50 other Senators were reportedly absent from the chamber of the upper legislative house where the elections held.

He was initially chosen by the APC as its sole candidate for the position via a mock election, a development which was rejected by Saraki.

Saraki was subsequently adopted as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the party urging its legislator-members to vote him as Senate President.

The APC is yet to issue a response on the development.