Following a two-week recess for Easter and Sallah celebrations, the Nigerian Senate reconvened for plenary, only to be met with a tumultuous session marked by a heated dispute among three senators over seating arrangements in the recently refurbished Hallowed Chamber.
The atmosphere initially buzzed with excitement as senators gathered in the newly renovated chamber for the first time in nineteen months. However, the mood quickly soured when Senate President Godswill Akpabio began acknowledging senators who had birthdays during the recess.
Trouble erupted when Senator Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u of the APC Zamfara North angrily protested his assigned seat and directed his frustration towards Senator Micheal Opeyemi Bamidele of the APC Ekiti Central. Similarly, Senator Danjuma Goje of the APC from Gombe Central voiced his dissatisfaction with the seating arrangements to Senator Bamidele.
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The dispute, which began quietly, soon escalated into a shouting match between Senator Ya’u and Senator Bamidele, drawing responses from other senators and plunging the chamber into chaos.
Senator Ya’u, a ranking senator who previously served as the Senate’s Deputy Minority Whip, vehemently argued that his assigned seat, located at the far right of the chamber, was unsuitable. Senator Goje joined in the verbal exchange, adding to the escalating tension.
In an attempt to restore order, Senate President Akpabio intervened and called for the aggrieved senators to approach the Chair. After a brief interaction, Akpabio managed to deliver his welcome address.
Following the address, the Senate Leader called for an emergency executive session to address the senators’ grievances and diffuse the mounting tension surrounding the seating arrangements.
The incident underscores the challenges faced during the renovation of the Hallowed Chamber and highlights the importance of effective communication and cooperation among senators to ensure the smooth functioning of legislative proceedings.
