As they received their certificates of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), some of the senators-elect unveiled their plans for Nigeria and their constituencies.
They were, however, unanimous in saying that their envisioned 10th National Assembly would not be a rubber stamp of the executive arm of government. They also promised to work assiduously to address the nation’s numerous socioeconomic, political and security challenges.
The certificates were presented to the elected members of the 10th National Assembly at the National Collation Centre of 2023 general elections – the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja – yesterday.
Overall, INEC presented certificates of return to 101 senators-elect. It will conduct supplementary elections in eight senatorial districts of the 109 senatorial zones slated, including Enugu East where the candidate was assassinated.
Some of the lawmakers who spoke with LEADERSHIP expressed their delight to be elected and promised to meet the expectations of Nigerians.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) senator-elect for Edo North Senatorial District in Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, said he will be part of the Senate that legislates for the good people of Nigeria.
“I will work not for the powerful by making sure that what we do in appropriation will be such that Nigerians get value for money. It is expected that the executive is powerful but does not exercise absolute power, so it will be subject to legislative check,” he said.
Oshiomhole said even the president-elect is not looking for a rubber stamp National Assembly, but a robust one.
“A couple of things can be done differently so that the renewed hope of our party can be translated into reality; even the president-elect is not looking forward to a rubber stamp assembly but the one that can help to contribute to knowledge, as nobody has absolute knowledge but working together and negotiating to have a win-win formula that will contribute to the dividend of democracy,” he said.
He said issues that will be brought to the fore are well captured in the APC Action Plan.
“Those issues are well captured in the APC action plan which form the basis of our election which ushered in Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the president-elect,” he said.
He pledged to revisit the power sector which, according to him, will in turn lead to economic growth and increased GDP.
Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator-elect for Delta North Senatorial District, Ned Nwoko said his focus would be improving the well-being of Nigeria, reduction in cost of borrowing, and addressing insecurity.
“The cost of borrowing is too much; we need to bring it down. Banks cannot be charging arbitrarily.
”We must focus on insecurity. We must dialogue with agitators anywhere they are, from north to the east and to the south.’’
Nwoko pledged to serve the people of Delta and Nigeria in general.
On his part, Sen. Michael Bamidele of Ekiti Central Senatorial District (APC), said the 10th Assembly senators of the National Assembly would work together in the overriding interest of Nigeria, not for party or individual interests.
Bamidele, who was re-elected, said the representation of different political parties in the National Assembly would make the incoming senate more dynamic, which would be of great benefit to Nigeria and its democracy.
“One of the ways a parliament can be dynamic is for us to have robust representation by various political parties.
“We have always said Nigeria is not a one-party state, we are a multiparty democracy. And this is going to be reflected in the 10th assembly.
“`We are going to the Senate where at least four political parties are adequately represented – the APC, the PDP and the Labour Party.’’
He added that “part of the advantages of this for me is that it will make it possible for all of us to reason together and to work together across the board.
“One thing I know is that regardless of which political party brought you into parliament, once you are there, you are there as an elected representative of the people in Parliament, all of us must work together.
“We will work together in the Senate as senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria not because of Senators of the PDP or senators of APC, senators of NNPP or senators of Labor Party, but as senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
APC Kogi West senator-elect, Sunday Karimi, said that the expectations of the people on the 10th Senate was high, promising that senators-elect, including him, would not disappoint Nigeria.
Karimi, a former member of the House of Representatives, promised to work for the development of Kogi west, Kogi state, and Nigeria in general, especially in the areas of infrastructural development and development of the people.
Senator Abba Moro, PDP- Benue South, promised to justify his re-election into the senate saying I have the responsibility to do better than we have done in the 9th Senate.
The former minister, when asked which geopolitical zones should produce the next Senate president, said the most important thing was having effective leadership and not zones.
Moro said what was important was to have a Senate president that would do the needful and meet the expectations of Nigerians.
“I think we should elect a Senate president that is for the whole of Nigeria, not for a political party. I think that is the first thing.’’
Moro said he had been talking to a few of his colleagues and friends that have been reelected.
