There was a rowdy session in the Senate on Tuesday after Senator Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central) openly confronted Senate President Godswill Akpabio over what he described as an “unparliamentary act,” disrupting plenary for more than 30 minutes.
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The Senate had already commenced proceedings when Akpabio walked into the chamber and took over from Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North), who had been presiding.
Immediately after assuming the chair, Akpabio summoned Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) and a few other Senators for a brief consultation at the podium.
The move apparently angered Goje, who rose swiftly and cited Order 55 (12)(a) of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended), which prohibits side interactions during plenary session.
“Interaction is not allowed except to move the business that we have been called upon to do,” Goje said. “Mr. Senate President, what you are doing is unparliamentary. You are disturbing the business of the Senate. You cannot be holding a separate meeting when the Senate is in session.”
Akpabio explained to Goje that the side talk was for another Senate business and thereafter invited him to approach the chair, but the former Gombe State governor declined, insisting he would not take part in what he termed an “illegal and unparliamentary” meeting.
“What I’m trying to say, Mr. President, is that what is happening now is unparliamentary. What you are doing here is wrong. You should have done this outside. When we come to parliament, we do parliamentary business,” Goje said, adding that because of Akpabio’s action “everything is at a standstill.”
Akpabio responded briefly to acknowledge Goje’s Point of Order by saying: “Noted.”
But, Goje queried, “Noted but not sustained?”
Efforts by Akpabio to calm the situation were unsuccessful, as Goje demanded that the Senators, who gathered around the President of the Senate, disperse so that plenary could continue. Akpabio, therefore, agreed to ask them to return to their respective seats but again urged Goje to join the discussion—an invitation Goje vehemently rejected.
To further explain the interruption, Akpabio told the chamber: “Everybody that you see here was invited by the chair for a brief discussion in continuation of today’s sitting and in line with the order you have just read, whether or not we should proceed in view of a very urgent assignment at the Villa by one o’clock.”
He then reiterated: “Please, approach the chair so you can also be part of it.”
But Goje stood his ground: “I don’t want to be part of it. I’m opposed to this. I will not come. It’s unparliamentary.”
Akpabio later clarified that the urgent assignment was the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem Launch scheduled to hold at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.
The heated exchange briefly stalled legislative proceedings for minutes before order was restored thereafter.
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