Senators fight over seats in newly renovated chamber

The resumption of the Senate from its Easter and Sallah break on Tuesday, April 30, was almost enmeshed in rowdy session as senators literally fought over seats, TheNATION reports.

The plenary commenced at about 11:00am after the Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, arrived the chamber and took his seat.

After saying the statutory prayers, Akpabio 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 in turn was also talking back and 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 the 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 sitting arrangement for senators in the newly renovated main chamber of the Senate.

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.

The executive session commenced by 12:05pm.

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.