Rowdy Scenes at Senate as Ministerial Nominee’s Screening Turns Contentious

The screening of the former Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo, for ministerial nomination at the Senate took a tumultuous turn as the session became rowdy and contentious.

During the questioning of the nominee, a Senator raised a point of order, expressing concerns about Keyamo’s past actions. The Senator recalled how Keyamo had ignored an invitation from the House of Representatives when he served as the Minister.

The Senator’s point of order sparked a heated debate, and the Senate chamber descended into chaos for more than 10 minutes. Festus Keyamo remained standing during the uproar.

To restore order, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, took charge and called for calm among the Senators. According to the Senate rules, whenever the Senate President stands up, all Senators and Committees are required to remain silent.

Despite the Senate President’s efforts, the situation was not immediately resolved. To manage the escalating tensions, Akpabio asked the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, to “lead the House.”

Senator Bamidele proposed two motions to address the situation. First, he suggested extending the time for the Senate sitting beyond the usual 2 pm limit. Second, he proposed that the session be dissolved into an executive or closed-door session.

Both motions were approved by the Senate, and a closed-door session was scheduled to address what was described as “an issue of national concern.”

As a result of the chaotic scenes and the decision to move into a closed-door session, the screening of Festus Keyamo as a ministerial nominee was deferred.

The Senate’s decision to address the matter in a closed-door session indicates the seriousness of the concerns raised during the nominee’s screening. The contentious nature of the proceedings reflects the importance placed on the scrutiny of ministerial candidates and their past actions.

The nation awaits the outcome of the closed-door session, hoping for a resolution that will pave the way for the smooth confirmation of ministerial nominees and ensure effective governance and service delivery for the people of Nigeria.