Over 17 Senators including Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege and 15 Ambassadors on Thursday, stormed the Abuja residence of Senator Dr. Orji Kalu for a grand victory dinner.
Igbere TV reports that Kalu and 106 others were on Tuesday inaugurated as Senators of the Ninth National Assembly.
On the presiding offices positions, while Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe) was elected Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, Delta) won the Deputy Senate President seat.
Delivering his welcome remark, Senator Kalu representing Abia North Senatorial District said the occasion was a victory celebration.
The event, which took place at Uzor-Kalu’s residence in Abuja, was also attended by some senators, members of the diplomatic corps, among others.
They include Senator Bassey Albert, Senator Oseni Yakubu, Senator Sandy Onor, Senator Chris Adhihije, Senator Uche Ekwunife, Senator Gabriel Suswam, Senator Jubrin Barau, Senator Robert Boroface, Senator Solomon Olamilekan (Yayi), Senator Stella Odua, Senator I.D. Gyang, Senator Halliru Jika, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Senator Abba Moro, amongst others
Members of the diplomatic corps included; High Commissioner of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Ambassador Republic Francaise (France), South African (Acting) High Commissioner, High Commissioner to Ghana, Deputy Head of Commission German Embassy, Ambassador of Brazil, Ambaasor of Senegal, Embajada de Espana (Ambassador of Spain), Political Counsellor British High Commission Abuja, Deputy High Commissioner British High Commission, Commissioner Government of Canada High Commission, Ambassador Embassy of Belgium, Ambassador Czech Republic amongst others.
The former Abia governor urged all the lawmakers to see themselves as brothers by giving the necessary support that would help move Nigeria forward.
Kalu said, “We have the assemblage of men and women that know Nigeria very well.
“At the chamber, we are going to be voting on bipartisan basis to ensure a better life for Nigerians.”
According to him, “tonight is not a speech-making night.
“No motion is going to be moved here and no motion is going to be seconded here. All we are here for is to eat and drink.”
Sen. Ken Nnamani (APC, Enugu), who said the presiding officers of the 9th Senate were elected in a transparent manner, described the Senate as ”an assembly of elders.”
“Nigerians are looking forward to a different outcome this time around because of the way you were elected”, Nnamani, who congratulated Lawan and Omo-Agege, said the nation’s interest, rather than party’s interest, must prevail at all times at the assembly.
He urged the lawmakers to always ensure the quick passage of the budgets.
“If President Muhammadu Buhari succeeds, you have succeeded yourselves. Therefore, there is no more excuse,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the diplomatic community, the Ambassador of Israel to Nigeria, Shimon Ben-Shoshan, called on the lawmakers to put aside party differences and work for Nigeria’s progress.
The senate president, who thanked Orji Kalu for organising the dinner, said: ”the Nigerian project is a project of the Nigerian people and not a political party’s project and everybody must ensure that it works.
“In the 9th Senate, we are going to work together and we will distribute functions across party lines.”
Lawan disclosed that the two-term governor of Abia, Orji Kalu was his roommate at the University of Maiduguri in 1980.
