The commencement of the Senate’s plenary in the refurbished red chamber experienced discord among Senators regarding seating arrangements on Tuesday.
TALKING ARENA documented that the formal reopening of both chambers of the National Assembly took place on Tuesday following a comprehensive renovation period of approximately two years.
Throughout the renovation phase, lawmakers utilized temporary chambers in the two wings of the National Assembly.
The renovation project was finalized before their 40-day recess, leading to their return to the revamped Chambers on Tuesday.
However, disruptions emerged in the Senate when the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, initiated the acknowledgment of Senators who celebrated their birthdays during the break.
Senator Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u (APC, Zamfara North) eventually rose from his designated seat in a display of discontent to voice his concerns to the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central).
Initially conveyed in subdued tones, his grievances to Bamidele evolved into a heated exchange between the two individuals, provoking responses from other Senators and ultimately resulting in a chaotic session lasting approximately 30 minutes.
Senator Ya’u was observed pointing accusingly at the Senate Leader, articulating his dissatisfaction with the newly assigned seat situated at the far right corner of the chamber, which he deemed inappropriate for a distinguished Senator who previously held a key role as Deputy Minority Whip of the Senate in the 9th National Assembly.
The verbal altercation between the Senate Leader and Senator Ya’u intensified when Senator Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central) intervened.
Goje, too, expressed to Bamidele his discontent with the positioning of ranking Senators in the revised seating plan.
Subsequently, in an effort to address the situation, the Senate President summoned the Senate Leader and the disgruntled Senators in his vicinity to engage with him, ultimately facilitating Akpabio’s delivery of his opening remarks following the restoration of order.
Following Akpabio’s statement, a sudden closed-door emergency meeting was convened by the Senate Leader, ostensibly aimed at alleviating the pent-up frustration among Senators concerning the seating arrangements.
