The decision to contest for Deputy Senate President was in protest of the 2018 invasion of the Senate, Enugu West Senator, Ike Ekweremadu, has said.

Mr Ekweremadu said it is ’embarrassing’ for the Senate to have as it’s Deputy Senate President a lawmaker who led thugs to the chamber. This, he said, informed his decision to contest for the position.

Mr Ekweremadu polled just 37 votes losing to Mr Omo-Agege who had 68.

Mr Omo-Agege allegedly led thugs to invade the senate chamber in April, last year, and forcefully remove the mace.

Speaking to journalists after his loss on Tuesday, Mr Ekweremadu said his failure to clinch the deputy senate president position again does not matter.

“I believe there must be a referendum,” he said.

“Look at what happened on a day I was presiding and chambers invaded. It is embarrassing that someone who led that operation will take a bow and is endorsed and we all walk home like it doesn’t matter. I wanted a situation where we could present a referendum in respect of what transpired.”

Mr Ekweremadu said he did not contest to win. He said the decision was only taken a few hours to the election.

“Early this morning, we were not minded to run for any office, we thought that our friends in APC in consensus candidate that we can all be proud of, we don’t want a situation where we will say what happened here and you came and endorsed same person Deputy President of the Senate. We need to exonerate ourselves. It was not a contest to win or lose, I wanted to make a statement.”

Mr Ekweremadu was first elected Senator in 2003 and has since continued to win re-election.

In 2007, he emerged the Deputy Senate President, a position he held till a few days ago.