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Drama as senators fight over seats in newly renovated chamber (Video)

Published

8 months ago

April 30, 2024

There was a mild drama at the resumption of the Senate to plenary on Tuesday as senators fought over the seats.

Recall that the main chamber of the National Assembly had been undergoing renovation. During that time, the Senators were operating from a temporary hall.

Following the completion of the project, they moved in to the renovated chamber for their legislative business after spending about 40 days on recess.

Trouble started when the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, started reeling out names of Senators who marked their birthdays during the 40 days recess.

It was while the announcement was ongoing that Senator Sahabi Yau (APC, Zamfara North) started to raise his voice at the Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) while he in return pointed his finger at Yau as if giving him a stern warning.

Immediately, Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central) joined his colleague Yau in shouting at Bamidele and the chairman, of Senate Services, Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West) who was in charge of the seating arrangements.

The tone in which he complained triggered a harsh reaction from Bamidele, a development that led to the two senators exchanging words in an unpleasant manner.

This degenerated into a rowdy session and consequently forced the senators to rush into a closed-session.

During the rowdy session, Senator Ya’u angrily pointed his finger at Opeyemi, complaining that the seat allocated to him was not befitting, being a ranking Senator who held a principal position of Deputy Minority Whip of the Senate during the 9th National Assembly.

The verbal tantrums deepened when Senator Danjuma Goje (APC Gombe Central ), joined.

Goje also complained to the leader that ranking Senators were not well positioned in the sitting arrangement.

But Akpabio called on the leader and aggrieved Senators surrounding him, to sheathe their swords, after which he delivered his welcome address.

After Akpabio’s address, the senator went into an emergency executive session.

Watch the video of the rowdy session below: