Senate President Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday, emphasised the unity and maturity of the Nigerian Senate, even amidst disagreements.
“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 told State House Correspondents after closed-door talks with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Akpabio’s visit comes barely 24 hours after the senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, stormed out of the chamber.
Trouble began minutes after the commencement of the day’s session on Tuesday when Ndume (APC, Borno South) raised a point of order to draw the Senate President’s attention to alleged procedural errors he (Akpabio) committed.
Ndume had referenced a motion on the need for re-opening the Nigeria-Niger border, which was moved by Senator Sumaila Kawu (NNPP, Kano South), which Akpabio allowed to be debated without first having the official title of the motion read as the normal procedure.
Ndume, standing on Order 51 of the Senate Standing Rules, requested that the Senate President allow for the correction of any error made or observed during plenary.
While he spoke, Akpabio swiftly ruled him out of order, saying it could not be revisited since he had ruled on issues raised.
In the heat of the argument, Ndume picked up his documents and a few other belongings and stormed out of the Senate chamber.
His action, unexpected, led the Senate to dissolve into a closed-door session.
Speaking with State House Correspondents after meeting on Wednesday, the Senate President, however, dismissed any crisis in the legislature.
