The senate has asked the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce the results of the
June 12 presidential election.
The upper legislative chamber
also demanded that all entitlements of Moshood Abiola, presumed winner of the
election, should be paid to his family.
The resolutions of the upper
legislative chamber was sequel to a motion sponsored by Biodun Olujimi, senator
representing Ekiti south.
While moving the motion, Olujimi
said Abiola should be declared president of the country.
“For once, I want to thank the
president of Nigeria. I want to say he has done well. This is one time that the
president has given a thought to what Abiola and his family went through to
fight for this democracy that we enjoy today,” she said.
“Going further, there are issues
to be addressed so that we can be confident that this is not a Greek gift. This
is the time for the result to be properly announced by INEC because government
is a continuum and declare Abiola as a president. Entitlements should be
granted to the winners.
“Baba Gana kingibe should be
recognised as vice-president June 12 should be declared a public holiday. All
recommendations must be brought to parliament for legislative action.”
On his part, Ike Ekweremadu,
deputy senate president, said it is not legally possible to extend the date a
president would take oath of office until the constitution is amended.
“There are two legal issues. I
want to raise the second one. Section 135 (2) on the tenure of president. They
are now saying June 12 is now Democracy proposing that in 2019, the president
will now be sworn in on the 12th of June,” he said.
“This is illegally impossible. A
president shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of four years
he took the oath of office. The implication is that 29th of May remains the
date the president will be inaugurated and take oath of office. If they are
moving from May 29 to June 12, it means we have to amend this constitution.
“Otherwise, we will be extending
tenure of a president beyond what the constitution contemplates. We have to
advise the president properly. We cannot extend it to June 12 without extending
the constitution.”
Ahmed Lawan, senate leader, said
parliament should continue to support the government.
“Buhari has shown clearly what a
democracy is. The parliament should continue to support the government to
further entrench democracy,” Lawan said.
“For the first time, Nigerians
elected candidates based on their credibility. Somebody from Kano who contested
against Abiola was defeated in Kano. That is the kind of sentiment Nigerians
should always have.”
The motion was adopted after it
was put to Senate President Bukola Saraki.
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