Lack of quorum forces Senate to adjourn after 10 minutes

The chamber needs at least 38 senators to carry out legislative activities at plenary but our correspondent observed that 20 members were seated at the commencement of the day’s session. The Minority Whip, Senator Phillip Aduda, who moved the motion for the adjournment, citing order 10 (3) of the Senate rules, explained that most of the members were not at plenary because they went on oversight functions. The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, seconded the motion for the adjournment, stressing that the order cited by Aduda, barred the Senate from carrying out any legislative duties if members are not up to 38. The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki put the motion to a vote and members overwhelmingly backed it. Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, thereafter moved for the adjournment till Tuesday, November 20. Investigations by our correspondent, however, revealed that many of the senators might have stayed away to enable them to carry out necessary preparations for their campaigns which would start on Sunday.]]>