The sky was foggy with the fear of trouble, the day was regarded as a make or mar and the atmosphere at the Red Chamber was in red on Tuesday when Senators resumed from the recess that they rushed to in order to settle the rift that enveloped them.

The tension was amplified as efforts by external mediators, including the powerful progressives' governors, to broker peace among the feuding camps at the upper chamber were deadlocked. Thus, the attention of all stakeholders in the country - politicians, non-politicians, rich and poor among others, was on the lawmakers.

It was widely believed that the ugly event that sent the lawmakers to an impromptu break was likely to repeat itself. Thrice, the lawmakers have gone on recess since their inauguration on June 9th, all in efforts to cement the crack created by the emergence of the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President.

Like in the lower chamber, the Senators have been swimming in crisis since the controversial election of June 9th. Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki of Kwara Central senatorial district had defied his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to emerge as the Senate President through the alliance of senators who are of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The leadership of the APC had thrown its weight behind Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan of Yobe North who had won an election they conducted.

But while Lawan was attending a meeting with the president, the 8th Senate was inaugurated and Saraki emerged as the Senate President.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu (PDP) Enugu West senatorial district defeated Senator Ali Ndume (APC) Borno South to become the Deputy Senate President. Out of the 57 Senators in attendance during the election, 49 are PDP members, the rest are APC. Hours before the Tuesday sitting, the two camps dished out threats.

The Saraki's camp (Like Minds) reportedly threatened to suspend Senator Kabir Marafa of Zamfara Central and Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi of Kaduna North senatorial district for petitioning the police over alleged forgery of the Senate rules.

In turn, the Lawan's camp (Unity Forum), threatened to send Senator Saraki and other principal officers of the Red Chamber packing, using the forgery of the Senate rules as their weapon. The police had quizzed Senator Ekweremadu and the Clerk of the National Assembly over the alleged forgery.

To halt the clash, the APC progressives' governors committee of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and his Kebbi State counterpart Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu met with the senators. The meeting, however ended in a deadlock as the two camps refused to shift ground.

This development, coupled with the fact that President Buhari's 20 minutes meeting with the legislators in the lower chamber yielded result, shifted attention to the Red Chamber. As early as 9.am, journalists took positions awaiting the clash of the senators.

The arrival of the Senate President around 10.47am was greeted with all senators, Sergeant at arms, clerks and journalists standing on their feet to welcome him. After the adoption of the proceedings of the last sitting, the senators moved to the business of the day with the announcement of a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari seeking the screening and confirmation of the service chiefs.

Then, the Saraki camp scored the first goal with the announcement of the minority leaders of the Senate following a letter written by the Deputy Senate President to the Senate President. The PDP in the Senate is seen as the extension of the Saraki's camp.

At this moment, Senator Marafa struck and threw his first missile but it was quickly defused by Saraki when he ruled him out. Marafa had raised a point order that all the proceedings of the 8th Senate aside from that of June 9th were nullity as it violated Order 13 (1) of the Senate orders.

But ruling on Marafa's order, Saraki noted that there was typographic error in the order but ruled out Marafa on the ground of interpretation.

It was after this order that Saraki now addressed his colleagues, urging them to, "let us get started, the clock is ticking". Soon, he scored the big goal as Senator Samuel N. Anyanwu of Imo East senatorial district moved the order for the vote of confidence to be passed on the leadership of the Senate. He was seconded by Senator Dino Melaye of Kogi West.

On the motion, the names of 81 Senators including 47 PDP and 34 APC were written in support of the vote of confidence excluding that of Saraki and Ekweremadu. This shows that the camp of Saraki has swelled from 57 at the beginning to 83, above the 2 by 3 required to impeach any of the principal officers.

The second and third sitting of the week saw the constitution of three standing and two adhoc committees. Senator Gobir Ibrahim chairs Senate Services committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu chairs rules and business, and Senator Babajide Omoworare is chairing the ethics and privileges standing committee.

For the adhoc committees, Senator Dino Melaye of Kogi West and Senator Barnabas Gemade of Benue North East chair publicity and works committees respectively.

Endorsement hunting Northern senators Twenty-four hours after the endorsement, there was a report that 22 APC Northern senators are working against Buhari. They are among those that endorsed the vote of confidence passed on Saraki and other principal officers of the Senate.

Eleven out of the senators on Thursday addressed the press, saying they are solidly behind President Buhari. Speaking during the press conference, Senator Dino Melaye of Kogi West said the senators that signed the vote of confidence are solidly behind Buhari.

"It is wicked, satanic and unacceptable to infer that those who endorsed Saraki are against Mr. President. It is those who said so that are enemies of the president. They are the ones that are working laboriously against Buhari," Melaye, who is the chairman of Senate adhoc committee on publicity, said.

Also speaking, Senator Binta Masi Garba of Adamawa described the report that they are against Buhari as unfortunate. "It is unfortunate that those who were drinking tea in their parlour when we were campaigning for Buhari, even in the face of insurgency, are the people saying that we are against Buhari.

"My father who was the driver of Buhari in the military will not forgive me. I'm fully with Buhari and nothing will change this," he said.

The Storm not over yet Even though the Saraki's camp has secured a vote of confidence, it is widely believed that the crisis in the upper chamber is not over yet.

Observes are of the view that the conduct of the key players in the camp of Senator Ahmed Lawan showed that the crisis is yet to be laid to rest. For instance, throughout the three sittings last week, Lawan - a vibrant senator who contributed immensely in the 7th Senate, did not utter a word.

Lawan, a 3rd term Senator who was present throughout the three sittings kept mum even when a motion on Boko Haram that was so dire to him was debated at the floor. His silent to many means he is still nursing the grudge and he can spring surprise any time.

Although his camp has been decimated by the Saraki's camp, parliamentary watchers are of the view that the table can turn any time considering the fact that the party leadership is solidly behind his camp.

However, the national chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, while hailing the leadership of the House of Representatives for considering the party's position, said they will deal with the case of the senators differently and at the appropriate time.