It could be recalled that Ekweremadu on June 9, emerged as Deputy Senate President taking advantage of absence of APC senators who were at the international Conference Centre to meet with President before inauguration of 8th National Assembly to defeat Senator Mohammed Ndume.
But, at the plenary on Wednesday Senator Kabiru Marafa, raised a point of ordered where he observed that the election of Ekweremadu on June 9 as Senate president was in breach of Senate standing rules.
Marafa argued that the old Senate rule on voting for the emergence of the Senate president states: “Voting shall be conducted by the clerk at-the-table using division list of the Senate with the tellers in attendance. The Clerk of the Senate shall submit result of the division to the Clerk of the National Assembly.
"However, in the new Senate rule given to Senators, it was stated: “Voting by secret ballot which shall be concluded by the clerk-at-table using the list of the Senators-elect of the Senate, who shall each be given a ballot paper to cast his vote, with the proposers and seconder as tellers.”
He therefore asked the Senate President to give explanation on when the rules were amended.
However, Saraki ruled Marafa out of order, citing Senate's rules that if a matter on Presiding officers's election has been decided, there can be no further debate on the matter again.
It was believed that Senator Saraki conceded the position of DSP to Peoples Democratic Party for him to get Senate President since the party's leadership has penciled down Ahmad Lawan as their Senate President candidate.
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