Persons expecting the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, to resign on account of his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja over alleged false declaration of assets will have to wait till eternity.

This is because the Senate President on Tuesday said resigning would amount to allowing external forces to have their way.

This is even as 84 Senators on Tuesday passed a vote of confidence Saraki notwithstanding his ordeals with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

Saraki also disclosed that the Senate was yet to receive the list of ministerial nominees from President Muhammadu Buhari, contrary to speculations.

The Senate President, who was addressing his colleagues at the resumption of plenary after six weeks recess, said he would not be a party to subversion of separation of powers as enshrined in nation's constitution.

He said: "Distinguished Senators, I believe you have all followed with keen interest, my trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. I shall avoid discussing the details of that case here for obvious reasons.

"Meanwhile, I wish to reiterate my remarks before the Tribunal, that I have no iota of doubt that I am on trial today because I am the president of the Nigerian Senate, against the wishes of some powerful individuals outside this Chambers.

"But what is clear to me also, is that the laws of Nigeria, and the rules of the National Assembly give consideration only to the wishes and desires of those of you who are here today as members of the Senate, to elect as you wish, one of your peers as President of the Senate.

"This, in your wisdom, is what you have done by electing me to be the first among all of you who are my equals. The laws of Nigeria do not give any consideration to any other forces outside the Senate in the election of its President.

"And to yield the ground on this note is to be complicit in the subversion of democracy and its core principles of separation of powers as enshrined in our constitution.

"Too many people have fought and died for the democracy that we enjoy today. We would not be honouring them and their memories if we allow the sad chapters of our history to continue to repeat themselves like a bad curse.

"As for me, I am prepared to do my duty in defence of our democracy and in safeguarding the independence of the National Assembly. My duty, as I see it, is to do justice and honour to the memory of those who have paid even higher prices to give us this democracy and this constitution. "Primarily as a Senator of the Federal Republic and as Senate President, I owe it to this Senate to stand strong in the face of relentless persecution.

"I invite all of you to stand with me to defend this Senate and preserve its sanctity. Ultimately, our legacies would not be defined by how long we stay here and in whatever position; but by what we did with this great opportunity that our people have given us by the grace of Almighty God."

Meanwhile, the tension that has been building in the Senate for some days calmed down dramatically on Tuesday as 84 Senators passed a vote of confidence Saraki. It would be the second time since the 8th Senate resumed sitting that Senators will pass vote of Confidence on Saraki and the entire leadership of the upper chamber.

Saraki had a week ago been arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on allegation of falsifying the assets he declared before the CCB, amid apprehension that his colleagues may prevent him from presiding over the Senate affairs today (Tuesday)on that ground. There have also been speculations that some Senators had met with plot to push for Saraki's impeachment on the basis of the 13-count allegations the CCB levelled against him.

The vote of confidence on Saraki by the Senators has, however, laid to rest speculations about plans to remove, as the vote of confidence on him enjoyed a speedy passage.

With the resumption of the Senate for legislative business, it was obvious that majority of Senators were prepared to save the Senate President from moments of embarrassments even as an attempt by a Senator, Kabiru Marafa, to cause commotion during Tuesday's plenary melted off instantly. The plenary had hardly taken off when Senator David Umaru raised a point of Order to move a motion passing vote of confidence on Saraki and other Principal officials of the Senate.

Senator Umaru in his motion said Senators had noted with dismay the attempt and continued interference in the internal affairs of the Senate by those he described as detractors with media propaganda against the upper chamber and its leadership.

He said the attempts by detractors of the Senate had caused unwarranted embarrassment on the person of the Senate President and its leadership.

He said the 8th Senate would not allow itself to be distracted, deterred or succumb to ‘cheap blackmail in the course of carrying out its constitutional responsibilities by any individual or group of people under any pretence or guise for personal political interest.

However, the Senate unanimously endorsed Umaru's motion of confidence on Saraki, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and the entire Senate Leadership as presently constituted. The Senate, therefore, called on innocent Nigerians, groups and political associations not to allow themselves to be used by any person or persons to harass, intimidate or blackmail the Senate and its leadership. However, amid high expectations, the Senate President on Tuesday said the Senate was yet to receive the list of ministerial nominees from President Muhammadu Buhari, contrary to speculations. President Buhari who spoke through his media aides had vowed not to exceed September 30 (today) in naming his ministers to be screened by the Senate.

At the resumed sitting of the Senate, Saraki urged his colleagues to get set for the list from President Buhari, urging them to also be prepared to screen the nominees expeditiously if the list was eventually passed for screening.

The Senate President in his opening address to his colleagues said: "Once the list is submitted, let us ensure that we treat it with dispatch and thoroughness. We must not be held down by unnecessary politicking.

"The enormity of our national challenges at this time does not give room for pettiness or politics of vendetta.

Saraki expressed conviction that in the event of constitution of Cabinet by President Buhari, more space would be created in governance for greater policy engagement with the Executive Arm of government.

Appointment of ministers, he also noted, will "Enable us to begin to respond in a more systematic manner to the various economic and social challenges before us, especially through our various Committees that will also be constituted soon".

He said what was uppermost in the minds of Senators on the screening of ministerial nominees is the overall interest of Nigeria, informed by the enormity and the urgency of the challenges before us.