On Tuesday, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, proclaimed the Eighth session of the Nigerian Senate and subsequently conducted the election that produced principal officers. Bukola Saraki was elected as president and after the election, he administered the oath of office and allegiance on 75 other senators.
The election, which had 23 APC senators in attendance, produced Saraki as president of the Senate, while Senator Ike Ekweremadu was elected his deputy.
However, as early as 8:30am on Wednesday, the others, 28 in number, mainly members of the Senate Unity Forum, led by Senator Ahmad Lawan, mobilised themselves to the senate chamber, waiting for the senate president, Bukola Saraki, to formally swear them in as senators.
All of them, after the votes and proceedings of the previous legislative day were adopted, took turn to take their oaths by reading it out aloud and append signatures.
By protocol, each of the newly sworn-in senators was expected, after taking their oaths, to present a copy of their certificate to the Senate President and in turn, shake hands with him.
The protocol was duly followed by Ahmad Lawan and others except Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central ), who refused to shake hands with Saraki, but merely showed him her certificate and walked out on the Senate President.