The first day of the Senate’s plenary in the renovated red chamber was marked by a heated verbal confrontation among Senators over sitting arrangements on Tuesday.
After about two years of renovation work, both chambers of the National Assembly were formally reopened on Tuesday, with lawmakers resuming to the remodelled chambers following the completion of the project before their 40-day recess.
However, trouble brewed in the Senate when the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, began reading the names of Senators who celebrated their birthdays during the vacation.
Senator Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u (APC, Zamfara North) stood up from his seat to express dissatisfaction with his new seating arrangement, located at the far right corner of the chamber. Senator Ya’u, a ranking Senator who previously held a principal position as Deputy Minority Whip during the 9th National Assembly, voiced his discontent to Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), the Leader of the Senate.
What started as a complaint quickly escalated into a shouting match between Senator Ya’u and Senator Bamidele, drawing reactions from other Senators and devolving into a rowdy session that lasted approximately 30 minutes.
Senator Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central) also joined the fray, echoing concerns about the seating arrangement for ranking Senators.
In an attempt to restore order, the President of the Senate called on Senator Bamidele and the aggrieved Senators to approach him. After a brief discussion, normalcy was restored, allowing Akpabio to deliver his welcome address.
Following Akpabio’s address, the Senate Leader called for an emergency closed-door session, likely aimed at addressing the underlying tensions and grievances among Senators regarding the seating arrangement.
