Omo-Agege defeats Ekweremadu to emerge deputy Senate president

Ovie Omo-agege

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege representing Delta Central has been elected deputy president of the Nigerian Senate.

The 55-year-old defeated major rival and three-time deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, on Tuesday in an election held at the National Assembly.

Mr Omo-Agege polled 68 of the 107 votes cast to beat Mr Ekweremadu, who got 37 votes.

Ekweremadu had jumped in the fray on election day after asking his colleagues not to vote for mace snatchers.

His veiled statement was in reference to Omo-Agege who allegedly facilitated the theft of the mace during the eight assembly.

Senator Ahmad Lawan had earlier been elected as President of the ninth Senate after scoring 79 votes to defeat his major rival, Ali Ndume, who got 28 votes.

The outcome of the Senate election now puts the All Progressives Congress (APC) in firm control of the upper chamber.