Tensions escalated in the Senate on Tuesday during the first plenary session in the newly renovated red chamber, as Senators engaged in a heated dispute over seating arrangements.
After a two-year hiatus due to extensive renovation work, both chambers of the National Assembly were finally reopened.
Chaos erupted in the Senate when President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, began acknowledging Senators who celebrated birthdays during the recess.
Senator Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u of Zamfara North, visibly upset, rose from his seat to express his discontent with his allocated seating position to Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.
Senator Ya’u, pointing fingers and raising his voice, protested that his new seating arrangement, positioned at the far right corner of the chamber, was unsuitable for a Senator of his stature, having previously held a principal position during the 9th National Assembly.
The confrontation escalated further when Senator Danjuma Goje of Gombe Central joined in, echoing concerns about the seating arrangement for ranking Senators.
The exchange between the Senate Leader and the aggrieved Senators intensified, leading to a 30-minute period of chaos and shouting matches within the chamber.
In an effort to restore order, the President of the Senate intervened, urging the Senate Leader and the disgruntled Senators to approach him. Following discussions, calm was eventually restored, allowing Akpabio to deliver his welcome address.
Recognizing the need to address the underlying tensions, the Senate Leader called for an emergency closed-door session to address the grievances and diffuse the mounting frustration among Senators regarding the seating arrangements.
