BY JOHN DANJUMA
Tension briefly gripped the Senate floor on Tuesday when Gombe Central Senator Danjuma Goje confronted the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, over what he described as repeated interruptions of plenary for private consultations with selected lawmakers.
The incident occurred shortly after Akpabio entered the chamber around 12:10 p.m., taking over from the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, who had been presiding. Minutes later, Akpabio called the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, to his presiding seat for a private discussion. Other senators—including Asuquo Ekpenyong, Adamu Aliero, Jimoh Ibrahim, and Titus Zam—soon joined, escalating the meeting into a disruption of Senate business.
Senators were scattered across the chamber, holding side conversations, as proceedings came to a standstill for over 40 minutes. Goje, citing Order 55 of the Senate Standing Rules, which bars interruptions to plenary, openly challenged Akpabio.
“Interaction not allowed… What is happening now is unparliamentary. You should have taken this meeting outside. Everything is at a standstill now. We’re not doing our actual business. We should go on recess; when we’re ready, we’ll come back and meet you,” Goje warned.
Akpabio defended the consultation, saying it was necessary for an urgent assignment scheduled at 1 p.m. at the Presidential Villa, and invited Goje to participate. The senator declined, replying, “I don’t want to be part of it.”
While Akpabio has previously paused plenary for private discussions, Tuesday’s confrontation marked one of the rare occasions a senator openly challenged him on the floor. Observers say the incident underscores growing frustration among lawmakers over perceived procedural breaches and highlights the need for greater transparency in Senate operations.
The disruption delayed consideration of scheduled bills and drew attention to the tension between the Senate President’s authority to manage proceedings and the rules meant to ensure orderly legislative business. Analysts suggest the episode could prompt calls for stricter adherence to procedural regulations in future sessions.
Tuesday’s standoff is likely to remain a talking point as the Senate continues its legislative agenda, with many lawmakers watching closely how Akpabio balances private consultations with the conduct of official business.