In a dramatic turn of events on Tuesday, October 17, Senate President Godswill Akpabio called for an emergency closed session of the Senate during the plenary session.
This unexpected development unfolded after Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, the Chief Whip of the Senate, staged a walkout following a ruling by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The tension began when Senator Ndume, invoking order 54 of the Senate Standing Orders, raised a point of order. He brought to the attention of the Senate president what he believed to be inconsistencies in the way affairs were conducted within the chambers, asserting that these practices did not align with the established rules.
In his impassioned plea, Ndume stated, “Mr. President, there are some things we do in this chamber that are against the rules. Sir, nobody is too big to learn….”
Akpabio swiftly intervened, requesting a copy of the Standing Orders. He proceeded to reference order 54, contending that it did not support the point raised by Ndume and subsequently ruled him out of order.
In response to this ruling, Senator Ndume, visibly incensed, gathered his papers and files, exiting the Chamber before making his way to his office.
However, the turn of events took an unexpected twist when the Chief Whip received a call from a colleague, urging him to return to the chamber for an executive session.
This has left observers puzzled about the developments transpiring within the Senate.
More details later