Ndume in early arrival at National Assembly

It is D-day for the much-awaited election of the presiding officers of the National Assembly.

But just about 12 hours to time, the social media began to carry the news, Monday night that an Abuja Court had ordered that the secret balloting method as stipulated in the Senate standing rule of 2015 be jettisoned for an open ballot method.

However at 8:30 am on election day, nothing was clear on the method of the election as Senators-elect awaited the arrival of the clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Ataba Sani Omolori.

As early as 7 am, PDP’s adopted candidate, and former Senate leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, had already arrived the Senate chamber.

He was followed by a candidate for the Deputy Senate President position, Senator Kabiru Gaya, who reiterated his determination to run against Ovie Omo-Agege, the adopted candidate of the APC.

Gaya also denied knowledge of the court order saying that until proper information came through the right sources, he was not bound by the said Court order.

And briefly, immediately former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, walked into the chamber. He spent about ten minutes and later came out and walked away from the White House area of the National Assembly where the chambers are located

“I will be back soon”, he told journalists waving. At 8.54 am, he was yet to come back to the National Assembly.

About the same time, the number of Senators-elect in the chamber had risen quite significantly.