The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday presented the certificate of returns to 98 senators-elect.
They were the winners of the senatorial elections held alongside the presidential elections on Saturday, 25 February.
Some of the senators-elect who collected their certificates of return were Adams Oshiomhole (Edo, APC);
Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia, APC); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom, APC); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa, PDP); Dave Umahi (Ebonyi, APC); Danjuma Goje (Gombe, PDP); Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe, APC); Abdulaziz Yari (Zamara, APC); Adamu Aliero (Kebbi, PDP); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun, APC); and Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe, APC).
They also included three females who are Rivers Deputy Governor Ipilabo Banigo; former Lagos Deputy Governor Idiat Adebule and the wife of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ireti Kingibe.
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But Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, who was declared winner of the Kano Central on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), his former party, was absent at the event.
He had resigned his membership of the party, saying he was no longer interested in the ticket.
Although the party went to court to compel INEC to replace Shekarau with another candidate since he was no longer a member of the NNNP, party officials said the commission failed to do so, insisting the former Kano governor could only be replaced in a situation of death or incapacitation.
Shekarau alleged the Leader of the NNPP and presidential candidate of the party, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, betrayed their agreements.
He said, “All the agreements we had with him were betrayed by Kwankwaso and his boys and they did not accommodate one single person from my camp.
“I will never be a party to injustice. My integrity is utmost and not in any political position that will make me compromise it and that of my people. Nobody will use my position or money against my integrity.
Others present to collect their certificates are Adeola Olamilekan; Osita Izunaso (former National Publicity of the APC), Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, younger brother to late President Umaru Yar’Adua, among others.
The senators elect also included some serving members of the House of Representatives who won election into the Senate.
They are Darlington Nwkocha (Abia); Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno); Yemi Adaramodu (Ekiti); Nasir Zango-Daura (Katsina) and Muntar Dandutse (Katsina).
INEC said the certificates of return for the members-elect of the House of Representatives will be presented to them today.
The commission had last week presented the certificates of return to the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, and the Vice President-Elect, Kashim Shettima.
So far, only seven of the 18 political parties in the country have at least a member in the Senate, said INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu.
The parties are the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Young People Party (YPP).
