A mild drama erupted in the Senate on Tuesday when the President of the Red Chamber, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, clashed over a motion on the need to reopen the Nigeria-Benin Republic border.
The clash, which almost turned rowdy, forced the Senate President to call for a closed executive session that lasted for hours.
The motion on the border, moved under matters of urgent national importance by Senator Summaila Kawu (NNPP, Kano South), allegedly had no specific title and Senator Ndume raised a Point of Order to correct the “error”.
Attempts by the former Senate Leader to request correction for the alleged error, came barely 10 minutes after commencement of the plenary, but the Senate President refused to allow the correction.
Specifically, Ndume, who rose through Order 51 of the Senate Standing Rules, requested the Senate President to allow for correction of any error made or observed in plenary.
He said: “This is the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guided by laws, rules and procedures. If in the course of proceedings at any session, errors are observed, they must be corrected before forging ahead with such proceeding.”
But the Senate President quickly interrupted him, saying having ruled on issues raised, it cannot be revisited. He consequently ruled Ndume out of order.
Efforts by Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West) to sustain Ndume’s line of argument through another Point of Order was also swiftly ruled out of order by the Senate President.
In a trouble shooting effort, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, quickly rose to read Order 16 which requires a substantive motion to be moved by any Senator for correction or review of earlier decision taken.
Sustenance of Barau’s Point of Order by Akpabio infuriated Ndume, who raised another Order (54) to seek for correction of the perceived error.
The Senate President ruled him out of order again without allowing him to fully present his argument.
Angered by Akpabio’s decision, Ndume packed his documents and furiously stormed out of the chamber.
Apparently perplexed by the scenario, Senators hurriedly went into closed session which lasted for hours and affected the items on the Order Paper for the day.
