Live Updates As Lawmakers Elect 9th NASS Leadership

6:53 p.m: Gbajabiamila takes his seat as speaker:

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the house of representatives in the ninth assembly … I hearby dedicate myself to the service of this honourable house and to the citizens of this great country.”

6:50 p.m: The former speaker, Yakubu Dogara, has just met Gbajabiamila and congratulated him on his emergence.

6:45p.m: Sani-Omolori request to take his leave as he completes his task as clerk of the national assembly.

6:40p.m : Wase takes oath of office as deputy speaker, administered by the clerk.

6:37p.m : GBAJA takes oath of office as speaker:

“..that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That as speaker of the house of representatives, I will perform my functions honestly to the best of my ability … and always in the interest of the solidarity and well-being of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

6:30 p.m: Ahmed Idris Wase returns as deputy speaker as he is unopposed.

6:26 p.m: The election for deputy speaker begins.

6:20 p.m: Gbajabiamila has been elected speaker of the house with 281 votes, beating Bago his opponent who got 76 votes. A total of 358 members voted in the election, with one vote rendered invalid.

6:10 p.m: Jubilation as Bago congratulates Gbaja

5:30 p.m: Voting ends. The clerk now invites the promoters and seconders of the two candidates to come forward to serve as their respective tellers during the counting and sorting of votes.

5:00 p.m: voting is going on smoothly.

3:58 p.m: Order finally restored at the lower legislative chamber as the members-elect are called out in four batches to proceed to cast their votes.

3:54 p.m: For over five minutes, the house of representatives chamber was chaotic. Some members kicked against the attempt to snap them while they cast their votes. 

3:40 p.m: Voting between two contenders for speaker; Gbajabiamila, APC choice candidate, and Bago, also of the ruling party begins

3:31 p.m: Abubakar Ahmad from Gombe state nominates Mohammed Bago of Chanchaga constituency of Niger state, for speaker.

3:17 p.m : Lynda Ikpeazu of Onitsha south constituency, elected under the PDP, seconds Gbajabiamila’s nomination for speaker.

3:15 p.m : Jibrin nominates Femi Gbajabiamila as speaker.

“I rise to nominate a reformist, a visionary and courageous man who believes in the independence of the legislature; who would meet the aspirations and yearnings of Nigerians; a choice of Nigerians and of the youths,” he says.

2:59 p.m: Reps members-elect scream as clerk mentions Gbajabiamila during roll call

2:50 p.m: Roll call ongoing at the house of representatives

2:08 p.m: Sani-Omolori proceeds to the house of representatives as he finishes his assignment at the Senate.

1:59 p.m: Sani-Omolori declares Omo-Agege winner. calls him to take the oath of office.

1:50 p.m: Ekweremadu lost to Omo-Agege with a difference of 31 votes.

Voting Results for Deputy Senate President:

Ovie Omo-Agege: 68

Ike Ekweremadu: 37

Total votes cast: 105

Abstained: 1

Invalid: 1

1:47 p.m : BREAKING: Omo-Agege elected deputy senate president

1:42 p.m: Jubilation at the senate chamber as Omo-Agege gets 68 votes

1:35 p.m: tellers for the two contenders to come forward to oversee the counting of the votes.

1:31 p.m: Voting for seat of deputy senate president has ended

12:48 p.m: Lawmakers called one after the other to vote preferred candidate

12:40 p.m: Voting commences as deputy senate president candidates accept nomination

12:31 p.m: Chukwuka Utazi from Enugu north nominates Ike Ekweremadu as deputy senate president; the nomination is seconded by Rose Okoh from Cross River north.

12:29 p.m: Ovie Omo-Agege accepts nomination as the deputy senate president; “With a heart filled with humility, I rise to accept the nomination.”

12:28 p.m: Ahmad Baba-Kaita, senator-elect representing Katsina north, nominates Ovie Omo-Agege for deputy senate president; it is seconded by Mohammed Sabi of Niger north.

12:25 p.m: The clerk of the national assembly has commenced the process for the election of the deputy senate president.

12:23 p.m: SIGNED AND SEALED

Ahmad Lawan sworn in as senate president of the 9th assembly.

12:19 p.m: The oath of office is now being administered on Lawan by the clerk of the national assembly.

12:14 p.m: Ndume losses to Lawan as he polled just 28 votes. nonetheless, Ndume congratulated Lawan even while the votes are still being counted

12:10 p.m: BREAKING: Lawan Elected President Of 9th Senate

12:06 p.m: Jubilation at the senate chamber as Lawan gets over 54 votes.

12:00 p.m: Sorting and counting of votes begins

11:58 a.m: tellers for the two contenders to come forward to oversee the counting of the votes.

11:57 a.m: voting has been concluded for the position of Senate president as announced by the clerk.

11:51 a.m: Senator-elect, Lawan casting his vote amid a round of applause and a standing ovation from his colleagues, with chorus of ‘Lawan’. ‘Lawan’ renting the air.

who do you think he will vote for?

11:34 a.m: Dino meleye, senator-elect representing Kogi west, just cast his vote.

11:25 a.m: Senator-elect, Danjuma Goje, representing Gombe central, just cast his vote.

Recall that Goje was amongst the contenders for the seat of the Senate president until he stepped down a few days ago and endorsed Lawan.

11:23 a.m: voting is going on smoothly, amidst conversation, laughter.

10: 56 a.m: Senate clerk now calls on the senators-elect to receive their ballot papers. “Each senator is being called upon and a ballot paper is given. Thereafter, they proceed to the cubicle, cast the vote and put it in the box”.

10:54 a.m: An empty ballot box is shown to the senators-elect as voting is about to commence

10:50 a.m: voting begins as Clerk ends nominations “We are now going into the voting session. By your rules, it is an open secret ballot.”

10:49 a.m: We need to work with the executive to avoid unnecessary rancours,” he says.

“Constituency projects needs a legal backing.”

10.44 a.m: Ndume, a former senator leader is addressing the Senate after
accepting the nomination.

10:40 a.m: Senator-elect, Ishaku Abo, representing Adamawa north, moves a motion to nominate Ali Ndume.

Senator-elect, Rivers south-east, Mpigi Barry, seconds the motion

10:33 a.m: Lawan pledges to work with all senators,if elected.

“If you elect me and I become the president of ninth Senate, I will work with all of you,” Lawan says.

10:31 a.m: Main business of the day commences  

10:30 a.m: Clerk of the National Assembly concludes roll call. Says 107 out of 109 senators present.

10:12 a.m:  In line with the tradition and practice of the Assembly, Clerk of the Senate, Nelson Ayewoh begins roll call of senators-elect.

10:10 a.m: The argument continued until Sani-Omolori said he would not entertain any more questions from the senators-elect.

10.06 a.m: Argument currently going on among senators-elect on the process to adopt in voting. “There’s an order from the court that it should be an open ballot,” says a senator-elect but the Sani-Omolori said he is not aware of such orders.

10.02 a.m: The Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Olori starts proceedings.

“I have received proclamation for the holding of the first session of the ninth National Assembly,” he said and proceeded to read the letter from President Muhammadu Buhari.

Brief History

Candidates of the 9th senate, Ahmed Lawan and Ali Ndume were both born in 1959. They are both 60 years of age.

Senator Ahmed Lawan (APC) represents Yobe North Constituency of Yobe State. He was elected to the house of representative in 1999 and to Senate in 2007. He was the majority leader in the 8th Senate.

Senator Ali Ndume (APC) represents Borno South. He was elected to the green chambers in 2003 and to Senate in 2011. He was majority leader in the 8th Senate between 2015 and 2017 before Ahmed Lawan took over the position.