Drama as Senators fight over seats in newly renovated chamber

 

The resumption of the Senate from its Easter and Sallah break on Tuesday was almost enmeshed in rowdy session as senators literally fought over seats.

The plenary commenced around 11:00am after the Senate President Godswill Akpabio arrived the chamber and took his seat.

Akpabio, after saying the statutory prayers, announced the names of Senators who had their birthdays while the Senate was away on recess.

It was while the announcement was ongoing that Senator Sahabi Ya’u (APC – Zamfara North) was observed speaking in a high tone to the Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC – Ekiti Central) who talked back, pointing finger at Ya’u as if warning him about something.

Senator Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central) immediately joined his colleague, Ya’u, in shouting at Bamidele and Chairman, Senate Services Committee, Senator Sunday Karimi (APC – Kogi West) who is in charge of the seating arrangements on the Senate.

It was later learnt that the commotion was occasioned by the new seating arrangement for Senators in the newly renovated main chamber.

Some ranking Senators were said to have been angry at the seats allocated to them in the front row on the last right side of the aisle.

The Senate President eventually calmed the situation when he told the aggrieved Senators to approach the chair one after the other but Senator Ya’u appeared not to be inclined to do that.

The rowdy session lasted for about 20 minutes as senators bickered.

Thereafter, the Senate President read his welcome speech while the Senate Leader, moved that the Senate should go into an executive session which is always held behind closed doors.

However, Senate spokesman Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC – Ekiti South) in a statement after plenary denied there was any fight or angry exchange between Senators over sitting arrangements in the newly renovated Senate chambers during the resumption session.

Adaramodu said: “There was no disagreement, rancour or any verbal tirade in respect of the seating arrangements in the Senate chamber.

“The Senate resumed today in the newly renovated chamber and the seating positions of Senators were done in accordance to the established Legislative protocol.

“It’s pertinent to know that rankings of Senators and leadership positions are considered. All legislators all over the world know and accept this tradition.

“The new arrangements in the chamber today did not depart from this. Every Senator is thus considered based on this Legislative tradition, hence there couldn’t be any confusion over seating arrangements. Senators have been observing this seating protocols, even in the temporary chamber, hence the unfounded story of a phantom fight over seating arrangements is an unscrupulous attempt to drag the image of the Senate into an unnecessary and needless controversy.

“The general public should disregard this odious song of sorrow from these incorrigible  wholesalers and retailers of falsehood.”

The Senate had on March 20, adjourned plenary till April 16, but postponed resumption twice to allow for the completion of the chamber which had been under renovation since 2022. (Nation)

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