Senate Crisis Dismissed, Akpabio Holds Crucial Meeting With Tinubu [Full Details]
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in a recent statement, highlighted the unity and maturity of the Nigerian Senate, even in the face of occasional disagreements. He emphasized the importance of constructive discourse within the parliament.
“In the parliament, sometimes you disagree to agree. But we will never get to the point of throwing chairs. The Senate is too mature, full of matured people,” Akpabio conveyed to State House Correspondents following a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.
Akpabio’s visit to the President came swiftly after an incident where Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, walked out of the Senate chamber. This event unfolded during a session when trouble arose just minutes after the session commenced.
Ndume, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Borno South, raised a point of order to draw the Senate President’s attention to alleged procedural errors that Akpabio had committed. The issue in question revolved around a motion regarding the re-opening of the Nigeria-Niger border, brought forward by Senator Sumaila Kawu of the NNPP from Kano South. Akpabio allowed this motion to be debated without adhering to the usual practice of first reading the official title of the motion.
Citing Order 51 of the Senate Standing Rules, Ndume requested that the Senate President allow for the correction of any errors made or observed during the plenary session. As he articulated his concerns, Akpabio promptly ruled him out of order, asserting that the issues raised could not be revisited since he had already made a decision on them.
In the midst of this heated argument, Ndume gathered his documents and personal belongings and abruptly left the Senate chamber. His unexpected exit led to the Senate going into a closed-door session.
Following the meeting with President Tinubu, Akpabio addressed State House Correspondents and dismissed any notion of a crisis within the legislature. He elaborated on how any emerging disagreements are effectively managed within the Senate during closed-door sessions, ensuring the preservation of unity and solidarity among the members.
Underlining the Senate’s commitment to the nation’s interests, Akpabio stressed, “We are politicians, with no permanent hatred but permanent interest. That interest is the interest of the nation.” He emphasized the vital role of the Senate in supporting the President and his administration through the enactment of legislation and the exercise of oversight functions, all geared toward advancing the nation.
During his meeting with President Tinubu, Akpabio discussed the upcoming 10th Assembly retreat scheduled to take place in Akwa Ibom State. He sought the President’s support for Senate representation at the retreat, which was duly granted. Akpabio also shared that he was planning to attend the internal parliamentary union in Angola and that his schedule would keep him occupied for the coming days, hence the need to inform the President of his commitments.
